One of the leading global development support organizations, Actionaid-Nigeria, has commended efforts of the present Kwara state government aimed at protecting rights of women and children, and improving their socioeconomic lives.
Speaking at the Partners Meeting, organized by the state government in partnership with the Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria (WVL-N) Project Partners at the weekend in Ilorin, the country director, Actionaid-Nigeria, Andrew Mamidu, said that the organization had seen the willingness on the part of the state government to support issues of gender-based violence, women economic empowerment and women political participation.
“Actionaid with its partner, Global Affairs Canada, in collaboration with local (NGOs) local women rights organizations in Kwara state are working on three main issues; gender based violence, women economic empowerment and women political participation.
“In Kwara state we’ve seen a couple of laws, child rights Acts, issues of violence against women persons Bill and Act that has been passed in the state. We’ve also seen commitment of the state government in terms of appointment of women into political positions; the state government is currently pursuing a 50-50 target. There are six women in the state House of Assembly, which was not so before.
“So, all these are achievements as a result of the engagement of the project and the state government working together. We have a referral centre for protection of women which has been set up by the project in collaboration with the state government and will be managed by the state government.
“All these are impacting on the lives of women and children in Kwara state. Of course there are indirect beneficiaries among men. We even have women that are setting up businesses, e.g. Village savings and loan schemes, that has been set up by women and impacting lives in rural communities. All in all, this is a springboard that we’ve seen and building on it for sustainability within the state”, he said.
Also speaking, the state commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Abosede Olaitan Buraimoh, said that investment of the Actionaid-Nigeria in women and children in Kwara State in the past 17 years had been beneficial to all.
The commissioner, who noted that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is passionate about welfare of citizens of the state, especially the women and children, added that the passion is evident in many programmes and activities being embarked upon by the government to improve lives of the people.
“This is seen in empowerment programmes at different levels as well as skill acquisition. Just of recent, the state government empowered 100 widows; the gesture which cut across the 16 local government areas of the state. And this is a continuous process and activity”.
Mrs Buraimoh also said that the collaboration of the state government and the Actionaid-Nigeria has reduced cases of social vices like rape, human trafficking, assault and battery.
She said that the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment to encourage partnership with various development partners to ensure rights of women and children are protected.
The commissioner also applauded Governor Abdulrazaq, who she described as He-for-she Governor, for encouraging women participation in the state House of Assembly and 50 per cent women involvement in his cabinet.
The event was attended by leaders and members of local women rights organizations in Kwara state.
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