CATAI urges Borno govt, stakeholders to invest more in women

The Centre for Advocacy, Transparency, and Accountability Initiative (CATAI), an NGO, has tasked the Borno government and other stakeholders to invest more in women and girls to achieve gender equity in the state.

Speaking in Maiduguri on Saturday while commemorating the 2024 International Women’s Day, organised by CATAI in partnership with the network of women-led affairs and social development and the Borno Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, with the theme “Invest in women, accelerate progress,”  the Chief Executive Office of the Centre, Abubakar Mu’azu, noted that investing in women includes educating them, empowering them with skills, and giving them low-interest loans to start up a business that will make them self-reliant.

According to him, fifteen years of Boko Haram conflict in Borno have created a lot of psychological and social challenges for women; investing more in them will keep their hopes alive.

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He explained that, in Borno, there are survivors of the Boko Haram crisis, victims, and deradicalized women, including women living with HIV, among others. More investment in women would contribute to their rise again to a normal life.

“Today we are advocating for more inclusion of women so as to see women being given equal opportunities in politics, power, and leadership positions. We are calling on the Borno government to invest more in women’s education, employment, healthcare services, and livelihood.

“Investing in women will enhance accelerating economic development as well as the progress of the female gender. We are advocating for this investment so that, through it, we can achieve gender equity and equality,” said Mu’azu.

He assured that CATAI will continue advocating for gender equality by intensifying action to ensure a better livelihood for women in Borno and Nigeria.

The commissioner of women’s affairs, Zuwaira Gambo, said the Borno government, through its 25-year action plan, is committed to seeing that women have access to education, healthcare services, and others.

Represented by the Director of Child Development, Bawagana Kyari, she said, “Investing in women is the only way to achieve gender equality and women’s development.”.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State (NECSOB), Comrade Bulama Abiso, said investing in a woman is not only investing in society but also in the future of the country.

“No religion has actually stopped women from engaging in businesses and economic activities as well as educational pursuits. So, we are using this day to call the attention of the government to invest more in women, particularly in their education, which is the key to humanity. If we do this, society will be a good place for all of us.”.