Sen. Khairat Gwadabe, who represented Abuja Federal Capital Territory Constituency between 1999-2003, has charged women to stand up for their rights as 2023 General Election approaches.
According to the fourth republic senator, this can only be achieved by voting for female candidates in all elective seats to promote their interest.
Gwadabe spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at a conference to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day celebration.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the women conference which had as its theme: “Breaking the barrier of vulnerability” was organised by the Nigeria Tulip International College (NTIC), Wuse 2, Abuja.
It was in collaboration with the House of Representatives and UFUK Dialogue Foundation, an NGO.
The senator said that as the 2023 General Election draws closer, what happened recently at the National Assembly where bills on women were rejected, was a signal that women should wake up from their slumber and take their rightful position in the governance of the country.
She noted that the decision by the National Assembly to reject bills on women emacipation would be corrected when women decided to build up their influence.
She urged students of NTIC to take advantage of opportunities while urging the girls among them to be focused and determined.
Prof. Mabel Evwierhoma, a Professor in the Theatre Arts Department, University of Abuja, who spoke on insecurity in the country, noted that women are the vulnerable group in all circumstances.
Evwierhoma, who is also a specialist on gender based issues, pleaded for a change in the narrative where women were always marginalised.
“The time has come for them to be brought out of the mess.
“A lot of things make women to always be at the receiving end, like the rate of poverty in Nigeria where 35 per cent of unemployed Nigerians are women, and this has brought many challenges to the country.
“Efforts should be made to reduce all these practices of discrimination, social culture, which is gradually falling out. The system in the country seems to encourage the men folks against their women counterparts.
“Women are often exposed to insecurity, we must have inclusion policies that must bring women to the table,” the professor said.
Earlier, the Managing Director of NTIC, Mr Fevzullah Bilgin, had congratulated all women across the country for contributing to nation building, adding that their impact are felt in every sphere of human endeavours.
“Today, women rule almost every field of life and work at par with men and that cannot be denied at work and in the home front.
“Women do their work with zeal and ace in each one of it in their way. Without women, leadership participation of men will not have been possible or have the correct lifestyle and standards.
“Women must rise in unity to dismantle barriers and be liberated. Liberation can only come when there is gender equality and women empowerment.
“I believe that the world will become a better place when women don’t feel the hardships of existence or any form of segregation. It will also be a thing of value when we all do away with every form of misconception that women are not important.
“This can only be achieved when we jointly contribute our quota to the development of women within our areas of influence,” Bilgin stressed.
He called on women to summon courage and fortitude to overcome all obstacles in all areas of life to achieve significant progress and always reach for their set goals. (NAN)
