Osun First Lady Urges Women To Tackle Gender Equality Issues At Grassroot Level

The wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs Kafaya Oyetola charged women on the need for them to start making difference and impacting the world by leading change and innovation in their diverse calling and areas of passion in order to promote gender equality in the world.

Mrs Oyetola gave the charge at the 4th Ekiti Gender Summit with the theme “Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Post Beijing: Political Will and Impact” held at AB Civic Centre, Ado-Ekiti.,Ekiti State.

The Osun First Lady who was accompanied by the Osun Deputy Governor’s wife, Mrs Oyefunke Alabi and wives of other political office holder in the State to the programme said the theme of the summit was in line with the reality of present days, the Beijing declaration which resulted from the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 set out to tackle the inequalities between women and men inorder to enhance the living standard of everyone.

Mrs Oyetola stressed that, since twenty five years ago of the declaration, the review of the declaration is long over due to ascertain the level of achievement and the next steps to take on the action.

The wife of the Governor opined that various states in Nigeria has witnessed a lot of achievement on awareness creation on the status of women but many daunting obstacles rooted in cultural and economic systems has impeded the achievements of the objectives of equality of women between men.

She said most women of nowadays are still strapped in violent relationship largely because of various obstacles added that, some are still subjected to the violence against female genital mutilation sexual harrassment , rape as well as discrimination in access to resources such as land and finances.

Earlier in her Opening remark the wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi said the conference was organised with a view to building on the gains that had been secured on gender equality in the past in Ekiti State.

Mrs Fayemi further explained that Ekiti under the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi is now known as a State that has the most Comprehensive legal and policy frameworks in the Country to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria.

Also speaking, wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu said most women in Nigeria still earn less than men adding that, physical and sexual violence against women is rampant in Nigeria today advising that solving all obstacles currently faced by women in country especially those in the grassroots, requires political will which is the first and the most important step in every Government at all levels.