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The National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS), says the Federal High Court ruling, which upheld 35 percent Affirmative Action for women, has given hope to Nigerian women.
NCWS National Chairman Hajiya Lami Lau said this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, praising the ruling.
According to Lau, the ruling, which proposes the inclusion of 35 percent of women in elective positions in Nigeria, is a historic ruling.
“On behalf of Nigerian women, I applaud the historic ruling in our favor at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“The sentence granted all the remedies sought in the lawsuit filed and organizations, challenging the marginalization of women in the Nigerian political space.
“'Women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of leadership, despite Nigeria being a signatory to several international conventions and protocols on women's rights,' she said.
Lau said that Nigerian women had been denied the right to contribute meaningfully to national development and the right to live free from discrimination and prejudice.
“, affirming our right to 35 percent affirmative action and representation in both elective and appointed positions, justice has been served.
“This will undoubtedly end years of marginalization of women in Nigeria.
“We are elated that the courts have decided boldly for fairness and justice, shortly after the Assembly rejected five gender bills,” he said.
She said Nigerian women welcomed the development and saluted the boldness of the judiciary.
“'We call on our women to take advantage of this victory to go out en masse to participate in politics.
"This is a victory for true democracy," Lau added.
Source Credit: NAN
The President of the National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS), Dr. Laraba Shoda, was awarded the Erelu Chieftaincy title from the Yoruba Council of Obas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The coronation is in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the Yoruba community at the FCT on Friday at the Obas Palace, Kado, Abuja.
Speaking at the coronation ceremony, the Chairman of the Yoruba Council of Obas at FCT Abuja, Oba Olusegun Salau, praised the NCWS President for her outstanding performance and contributions to the development of human society.
Oba Salau described the chiefdom of Erelu as a title that only a woman can achieve in life.
He said Shoda's coronation as Erelu of FCT Abuja was adjudged as the highest traditional lifetime title bestowed on a woman in Yoruba land.
“As she attained this Erelu, it is throughout her life. And I pray that God guides her in everything she does in life.
“So far, he has done very well and he has to continue to do so in his efforts,” he said.
Similarly, Oba Alaa, the Custodian of Yoruba Culture and Religion at FCT, Olubukola Falade, said that the chiefdom of Erelu simply means 'a mother of all'.
Falade said that there was no other chieftainship given to a woman who could be above Erelu in the traditional Yoruba corridor.
He said, “Shoda has been with us, we know her very well, and she is a loving mother in all aspects. We pray to Almighty God to sustain her on this throne.”
The NCWS President speaking after her coronation, expressed her gratitude to the traditional ruler for seeing fit to bestow on her one of the highest titles for women in Yoruba land.
“I am really very grateful and very honored and I thank the entire Yoruba community in Abuja. And my commitment is to work with the palace to improve it as much as I can.
“I will make sure that we work together with the Yoruba community in Abuja and bring them together as one, so that we can always speak with one voice, especially women.
“I have been working with women for a long time and this is not going to be any different than what I have been doing. I am sure everyone will come and work together amicably,” Shoda said.
The Minister for Women's Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has called on all Nigerians to join together to promote gender equality in the country.
Tallen made the announcement at the 5th edition of the Generation Equality International Soccer Tournament organized by , a Non-Governmental Organization, as part of the activities on the occasion of International Women's Day (IWD) this year.
The minister, who launched the event in Abuja, said that women should be given the opportunity to be responsible for policy-making.
“God was not wrong woman. He did not create a woman to be trampled on.
“He created women to be helpers, partners in progress, so we are calling on Nigerian men and everyone to come together and advance the issue of women,” Tallen said.
She also called on the women of the country to continue fighting as she lamented the Gender Equality Bill that was rejected by the Assembly last week.
“I pray that this year's International Women's Day will be better than previous years, even though we had a setback as the Gender Equality Bill was rejected by the Assembly.
"We are not giving up; we will continue to push until we change people's mindsets and improve women's participation in politics and beyond," she added.
Comfort Lamptey, UN Women Country Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, who at the event said that sports and football in particular were tools to advocate for gender equality.
“It is important to use football as a mechanism to show how women can come together and promote gender equality.
“March 8 is a day we celebrate women and today we are doing it through this soccer game.
“We will also take stock of the work that needs to be done and we know that in Nigeria our work is not done yet.
“Also for the benefit of these young women participating in this competition, I think it is very important that we implement measures so that all Nigerians can reach their full potential.
“This is a message that we are communicating through this soccer game today,” Lamptey said.
For her part, Aderonke Bello, Executive Director of the Fame Foundation, said that sports were a unifying tool that brought Nigerians together regardless of our different culture and background.
“Nigeria is heterogeneous in nature. We have our diversity in terms of religion, tribe, geopolitical zone and more.
“The only thing that unites us is sport, especially football.
“That is why we are using this unifying factor as a tool for social change to preach against gender inequality, gender violence and call for gender equality,” said Bello.
Meanwhile, a total of 10 teams showed up at the 2022 edition of the event. The UN team, USA, NCWS, UK and Iya Loja participated.
Others are Team NAWOJ/ FCT SWAN, FAME/AMAC, BREKETE Family and EU.
International Women's Day is marked globally on March 8 with "Break The Bias" as the theme of this year's celebration.
The National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS) announced on Wednesday that its next convention was scheduled for March, NCWS National President Ms. Laraba Shoda said in a statement in Abuja.
She said activities for the convention would kick off with a special awards night on March 24.
According to her, this would be followed by prayer on Friday, March 25, and Thanksgiving services on Sunday, March 27.
”The award and convention would take place on March 30, while elections for new national officials would take place on March 31, he said.
Shoda advised all states and affiliated bodies to comply with the convention.
The National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS) has called for justice for Hanifa Abubakar, a five-year-old schoolgirl, murdered at Noble Primary School, Kano.
NCWS National President Ms. Laraba Shoda made the call in a statement Monday in Abuja.
Shoda described the incident as tragic and demanded that the defendant be prosecuted for ending the life of an innocent child placed in his care for his academic development.
According to her, it is unfortunate that Nigerians are once again forced to experience the painful loss of another child in an environment where they should be protected.
”The kidnapping and eventual murder of Hanifa after collecting a ransom of six million naira from her parents is one of the most inhumane acts of evil.
“The murder of this innocent Nigerian girl from her school is a huge betrayal of the trust that the girl and her parents placed in the institution,” he said.
The National Chairman of the NCWS expressed his concern about the increasing cases of ritual killings that have taken on a terrifying dimension in Nigeria.
Hanifa Abubakar, owner killedHe said that the case of Aisha Umar, an internally displaced person, who was cheated and raped by a vendor leading to her suicide in Borno, was also a regrettable case.
“As mothers and women, it pains us that this is no longer the Nigeria we knew growing up.
“A Nigeria where caring for the younger generation was the responsibility of all adults and the community as a whole.
“Hanifa's death is too much, since children are the most vulnerable in society and depend on the protection of adults for their development.
"A situation where caregivers, who should be protecting and caring for children, become predators is certainly unsustainable and needs urgent action," he said.
Shoda, on behalf of the council, called on the federal government to do more to address the growing insecurity in schools and in the country in general.
He also urged the government to undertake an assessment of schools across the country to ensure they remain conducive and safe for learning.
“We must ensure justice for Hanifa and others.
“We need to set an indicator that no family will question the decision to enroll their ward in a school that is not safe,” he said.
Keep readingSource: NAN
The National Council of Women's Societies has called for justice for Hanifa Abubakar, a five-year-old schoolgirl, killed by the owner of Noble Primary School, Kano.
NCWS National President Laraba Shoda made the call in a statement Monday in Abuja.
Ms. Shoda described the incident as tragic and demanded that the accused be brought to justice for ending the life of an innocent child placed in her care for his academic development.
According to her, it is unfortunate that Nigerians are once again forced to experience the painful loss of another child in an environment where they should be protected.
”The kidnapping and eventual murder of Hanifa by her teacher after collecting a ransom of six million naira from her parents is one of the most inhumane acts of evil.
“The murder of this innocent Nigerian girl by the owner of her school is a serious betrayal of the trust that the girl and her parents placed in the institution,” he said.
The National Chairman of the NCWS expressed his concern about the increasing cases of ritual killings that have taken on a terrifying dimension in Nigeria.
He said that the case of Aisha Umar, an internally displaced person, who was lured and raped by a humanitarian provider leading to her suicide in Borno, was also a regrettable case.
“As mothers and women, it pains us that this is no longer the Nigeria we knew growing up.
“A Nigeria where caring for the younger generation was the responsibility of all adults and the community as a whole.
“Hanifa's death is too much, since children are the most vulnerable in society and depend on the protection of adults for their development.
"A situation where caregivers, who should be protecting and caring for children, become predators is certainly unsustainable and needs urgent action," he said.
Ms. Shoda, on behalf of the council, called on the Federal Government to do more to address the growing insecurity in schools and in the country in general.
It also called on the government to embark on a national assessment of schools to ensure they remain conducive and safe for learning.
“We must ensure justice for Hanifa and others.
“We need to set an indicator that no family will question the decision to enroll their ward in a school that is not safe,” he said.
YAYA
By Dorcas Jonah
The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), has commiserated with the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), over the death of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and others.
Mrs Laraba Shoda, the National President of NCWS, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, described the incident as tragic.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the crash occurred on Friday in a flight enroute Abuja-Kaduna.
Shoda also condoles with the victims’ families, friends, Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA) and colleagues.
“As women, we join the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), and other Nigerians in mourning the unfortunate loss of our sons, brothers and husbands who died in the line of duty.
“They have shown their dedication and service to their father land. We pray for their souls to rest in peace,’’ she said.
Shoda also prayed that God would comfort the bereaved families and the nation.
”NAOWA, NOWA and NAFOWA are NCWS affiliate NGOs and we share in their time of grief.
”We urged all Nigeria women to continue in their prayers for our dear country and ask God to take away the evil that is currently befalling us as a nation.
“This is another crash that has thrown the country into national mourning. As a nation, we are faced with lots of security challenges, losing our best hands at this time is not good for the country.
“’As a nation, we have to pray to God to forgive our sins and proffer solution to our problems,” she said.
Shoda appealed to the Federal Government to take proper care of the bereaved families as the country continue to pray for God’s protection.
NAN reports that COAS and other gallant officers had since been buried. (NAN)
(NAN)
By Kevin Okunzuwa
The Edo Government has suspended all activities of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in the state indefinitely.
The Secretary to the State Government, Mr Osarodion Ogie, announced the suspension in a statement on Friday night in Benin.
Ogie said the suspension included the proposed election of officials of the State Chapter of the society.
He noted that activities of factions of NCWS, if not checked and harmonised, were capable of breaching the peace and security of the state.
“The attention of the Edo State Government has been drawn to the activities of factions of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in the State.
“The activities of these groups, if not checked and harmonised, are capable of breaching the peace especially in view of the present fragile state of security in the nation.
“Consequently, the Edo State Government directs that all activities of the National Council of Women Societies in Edo State, including the proposed State Chapter elections, are hereby suspended indefinitely until pending issues are resolved,” the statement read in part.
The government further warned that anyone who disregards the directive would face the law accordingly. (NAN)
(NAN)
By Dorcas Jonah
The Federal Capital Territory will host the 2021 African Regional Council for Women Conference in June.
Council chairwoman Laraba Shoda revealed in a statement Monday in Abuja.
Shoda, who is also the national chairperson of the National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS), said the conference previously scheduled for April would now be held June 8-11.
“Prioritizing safety, the NCWS, which is the organizer of this historic event, called for postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We are optimistic that delegates will take advantage of the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and get vaccinated in preparation for the conference, as we, for our part, are putting the best of COVID-19 protocols in place to reduce the spread of the new Date. .
“The African Regional Council for Women conference brings together all African women to discuss contemporary issues relating to women and children and to the continent.
“Discussions will focus on the roles and place of women in politics, governance, education, culture, health, peace and conflict resolution, as well as socio-economic issues.
“The key actors expected at the conference will be African First Ladies, heads of government and parastatal agencies, gender equality advocates and associated international stakeholders,” she said.
Shoda called on all stakeholders to unite to make the conference a success. (NOPE)
(NAN)
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has harped on the need for people to understand and apply the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to curb rape, gender violence and drug abuse in the society.
Mr Vitus Ekeocha, NOA’s director in Imo State, said this at a one-day interactive forum organised by the agency for stakeholders on Tuesday in Owerri.
The forum had the theme, “Understanding the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Curbing the Increasing Wave of Rape/Gender Violence, Drug Abuse, Misuse and its Effect on the Society.”
He said drug abuse, trafficking and other social vices in the society were of great concern to governments, adding that efforts were being made to ensure that the vices were controlled.
According to him, information is critical in decision making while the quality of decisions people make depend on the quality and volume of information at their disposal.
“The FOI Act provides citizens, students, researchers and politicians easy access to information to conduct studies and understand how government processes policies, systems and the functions of public officers and office work.
“No doubt, the Act is a vital tool to ensure democracy and responsive governance in Nigeria,” he said.
The state’s commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Declan Emelumba, represented by Mr Kennedy Amanze, Director of Information in the ministry, decried the increasing wave of rape,drug abuse and gender violence in the society.
He said the people must be educated on the process of how, where and when to speak and obtain facts on issues of interest which was the cardinal objective of FOI Act.
The President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Mrs Ijeoma Udensi, said the FOI Act signed into law on May 28, 2011, gave members of the public the right to speak out without fear of adverse consequences.
Represented by Mrs Chizoba Okafor, Programme Manager of NCWS, Udensi said in curbing the wave of rape, domestic violence, drug abuse and misuse there should be a united push by all stakeholders for stiffer laws and penalties.
She said NOA, media institutions and non-governmental agencies should champion the awareness, information and enlightenment programmes against domestic violence as well as bring to the fore incidents of abuse.
Mr Nazzy Njoku, Deputy Director, NOA in the state, in a paper on “Evaluating the Freedom of Information Act, 2011,” said the forum was to reinforce citizen’s confidence in openness in the governance process and its impact on national development.
The State Commander of NDLEA, Mr Nse Inam in a paper on “Drug Abuse and its Effect on the Society,” described drug abuse as the administration or consumption of drug in a manner deviating from medical recommendation.
Represented by Mr Kayode Raji, the Deputy Commander NDLEA, Nse said illegal or illicit drugs posed many health, social and economic challenges and urged the people, especially the youth to desist from it.
He said a drug user was a danger to the society and quoting from a UN statistics, he said 85 per cent of war crimes were committed under the influence of drugs.
“Drug taking translates to social abuse, prostitution, kidnapping, armed robbery, violence, destruction of future workforce and depletes national income.
“Fighting illicit drug taking is everybody’s business,” Inam said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the stakeholders at the forum comprised the media, civil society organisations, the police and paramilitary personnel.
Edited By: Folasade Adeniran/Salif Atojoko
(NAN)
