Kwara State government says efforts to mainstream gender inclusion in the present administration is deliberately aimed to celebrate and take women to next level of development.
Apart from being the first governor to nominate a female majority cabinet in the country, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State recently signed legislation that makes it binding for the state government to have at least 35 per cent gender-sensitive cabinet and public sector appointments.
Speaking with the Tribune Online in Ilorin on Friday, the new commissioner for Women’s Affairs, Mrs Mopelola
Abdulmalik-Bashir said that the state government had also set a progressive agenda for the ministry of Women Affairs.
Mopelola said that the ministry shall work with others to actualize the SDGs global goals, Agenda 2063 by Auda Nepad, human capital development among others, as it relates to women in the state.
“I must appreciate Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for finding me worthy of appointment as commissioner and for entrusting into my hand the Ministry of Women Affairs, being the ministry that oversees the affairs of all women related issues in Kwara State.”
The commissioner, who said that her ministry would focus on key issues as follow:
A. To work on modifying existing mandates of the ministry in line with the global trends in women issues.
B. To structure the mainstreaming of women into public and private spheres of endeavour.
C. To create global platforms for all activities of the ministry in line with the pacesetting agenda in female gender mainstreaming of the present administration in the state.
D. To leverage on the existing national template of inclusive gender participation in virile and sustainable economic activities
E. To engender an open door policy and ensure that the ministry functions as a one-stop-shop for female gender-related activities.
Mopelola also noted that the Ministry of Women Affairs shall also be working in line with Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequality), 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and Continental Agenda 2063, Auda Nepad Goals 11 ( Democratic values, practices, universal principles of human rights, justice and the rule of law entrenched), 13 ( Peace, security and stability are preserved), 17(Full gender equality in all spheres of life) and 18(Engaged and empowered youth and children).
She affirmed her openness to partner and work with others, both within government and outside of it to advance the agenda of the ministry, saying, “the ministry of Women Affairs under my leadership shall be working with all relevant offices, persons or organizations to fast track the actualization of these goals, especially those related to the wellbeing of women in our society. We shall also be working to assist all women in public offices in other to understand their challenges and provide the needed support to achieve better results in their respective areas of responsibility.
“We shall also be initiating different policies and carrying out various activities to drive Kwara State towards maintaining its leadership role in women issues, as already pioneered by our progressive governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, through the appointment of over 50% women cabinet members and sponsoring of the gender composition bill, which is one of the best and most courageous actions in the world.”
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