Speaker Abbas, UN CEDAW sign MoU on women empowerment

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas on Tuesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Office of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women Nigeria Member (OCEDAWNM) on legislative interventions on issues affecting women.

At the epoch ceremony, Speaker Abbas restated the commitment of the 10th House, under his leadership, to empowering women and ensuring gender equality in politics, governance and other spheres of life.

Speaker Abbas pointed out that the MoU “uniquely attests to recognition of the need to marshal out diverse resources to achieve our 2024 International Women Development (IWD) themed: ‘Inspired Inclusion.’’

He said: “It is barely one week after my endorsement of a similar Parliamentary Development Programme for the 10th House sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for capacity building of members and staff of the House of Representatives.

“We are here again this afternoon to enter another working agreement with the United Nations group on the elimination of discrimination against Women to promote the vision of our Legislative Agenda on inclusion and affirmative action for good governance.

“There is no better way to underscore the dedication of the House towards rebuilding the confidence of our people through pragmatic citizen’s engagement and capacity strengthening.”

The Speaker said given the huge gender gaps in many sectors, there was the need for proactive measures to consolidate the 10th House Legislative Agenda’s vision of promoting inclusion and affirmative action for good governance, and promoting innovative and technology-based approaches to stimulate economic growth and ensure that no one is left behind in line with the SDG2030 & AU3063 Agendas.

He also said the measures should include harnessing existing opportunities for replicating good practice models in women’s peace and security, climate change management and renewable energy, and fin-tech, e-commerce and market access that could expand livelihoods and catalyse economic revival at the grassroots level.

He stressed the need to rebuild confidence in the people through pragmatic citizen engagement and capacity strengthening for key stakeholders as duty-bearers and rights holders.

Speaker Abbas added: “I urge our development partners, private Sector Companies and civil society associates to identify pillars in the partnership log frame where they can collaborate maximally to help realise concrete and transformative results

“I look forward to receiving the out ones of your first contact meeting with details of priority interventions, strategic actions with timelines that will help utilize our eight-fold legislative mandate to advance our global and regional obligations in a way that responds to our local realities and contexts.

“The House will provide necessary legislative actions and support for the success of this partnership.”

The Speaker noted that the House recently had an ‘Open Week’ to engage citizens during which the members presented their one-year scorecard in office.

“Nigerians responded with great enthusiasm. The bottom-top approach intrinsic in the Open NASS Week and the unmatched performance of the House as meticulously articulated in the scorecard were greatly acknowledged by Nigerians who attended the Open Week and have largely enhanced our legislative image and heightened people’s confidence in the 10th House as a bastion of the common man,” he said.

Speaker Abbas added that the House would “continue to engage our constituents because they are the reason we are here.”

The Vice-Chairperson, UN CEDAW, Madam Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, who led the OCEDAWNM and with whom the Speaker signed the MoU, commended Speaker Abbas and members of the House for their efforts towards gender equality and women empowerment so far, while urging them to implement the agreement towards achieving more results.

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