UN pledges support for Nigerian female politicians

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN Women) said it would support Nigerian
female politicians vying for elective positions in the 2019 general
elections.

The UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka told the
Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there was
the need to increase women participation in politics in
Nigeria.

The UN women chief was at the Nigeria House where he met with
the Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani
Bande and the Deputy Permanent Representative, Amb. Samson
Itegboje.

Mlambo-Ngcuka had visited Nigeria in July alongside UN Deputy
Secretary-General Amina Mohammed to push ways to address the many
challenges confronting girls and women in the country.

She said: “We also were in Nigeria to discuss the issue of
women’s participation in politics.

“We were also in Nigeria for how we need to increase the number
of women participation in politics in the next elections and the
strategies to do that”.

According to her, the next step for UN Women in the area of
women participation is helping to support the women who want to run
in different parts of the country to prepare.

Mlambo-Ngcuka pledged the support of the UN women agency in this
regard, saying the men do a lot to position themselves.

“So we will be working with other civil society,” the UN Women
chief said.

According to her, she was at the Nigerian Mission to give the
Ambassador feedback on the visit to Nigeria.

She added that the briefing also included the progress the UN
Women was making in Nigeria and the progress that Nigeria was
making at the time of the visit.

“We were able to renew our commitment to support girls that were
affected by the abductions – the Chibok girls in particular.

“We were also able to look at the women and girls who were in
the internally displaced persons’ camps and their conditions.

“This is to make sure that we address any violations of their
rights that may happen. The government has already taken steps to
address that, which we appreciate,” she said.

Mlambo-Ngcuka explained that the UN agency was also doing a lot
in the area of women peace and security in general in the
country.

“So it’s also supporting the different initiatives that
government has in addressing the safety of women, including safe
schools. So we were able to discuss the next steps.

She said the agency’s tactics was to join the activities of
government to increase the awareness of the communities to what
creates insecurity for the girls.

She added UN Women would also support the girls that had come
back from Boko Haram abduction to de-stigmatise and to ensure their
successful integration.

She commended Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the way he
handled the affairs of the country during the period he was in the
saddle as the Acting President.

“When we were in Nigeria, we met with then Acting President and
we really found each other on the same page and that’s why already
we are seeing some follow-up.

“This includes the fact that he is a ‘HeForShe’ and he’s then
committed to relaunch the ‘HeForShe’.

“We will re-launch the ‘HeForShe’ now with the President –
Muhammadu Buhari,” the UN Women chief said.

‘HeForShe’ is a solidarity campaign for the advancement of women
initiated by UN Women.

Its goal is to engage men and boys as agents of change by
encouraging them to take action against negative inequalities faced
by women and girls

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN Women) said it would support Nigerian
female politicians vying for elective positions in the 2019 general
elections.

The UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka told the
Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there was
the need to increase women participation in politics in
Nigeria.

The UN women chief was at the Nigeria House where he met with
the Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani
Bande and the Deputy Permanent Representative, Amb. Samson
Itegboje.

Mlambo-Ngcuka had visited Nigeria in July alongside UN Deputy
Secretary-General Amina Mohammed to push ways to address the many
challenges confronting girls and women in the country.

She said: “We also were in Nigeria to discuss the issue of
women’s participation in politics.

“We were also in Nigeria for how we need to increase the number
of women participation in politics in the next elections and the
strategies to do that”.

According to her, the next step for UN Women in the area of
women participation is helping to support the women who want to run
in different parts of the country to prepare.

Mlambo-Ngcuka pledged the support of the UN women agency in this
regard, saying the men do a lot to position themselves.

“So we will be working with other civil society,” the UN Women
chief said.

According to her, she was at the Nigerian Mission to give the
Ambassador feedback on the visit to Nigeria.

She added that the briefing also included the progress the UN
Women was making in Nigeria and the progress that Nigeria was
making at the time of the visit.

“We were able to renew our commitment to support girls that were
affected by the abductions – the Chibok girls in particular.

“We were also able to look at the women and girls who were in
the internally displaced persons’ camps and their conditions.

“This is to make sure that we address any violations of their
rights that may happen. The government has already taken steps to
address that, which we appreciate,” she said.

Mlambo-Ngcuka explained that the UN agency was also doing a lot
in the area of women peace and security in general in the
country.

“So it’s also supporting the different initiatives that
government has in addressing the safety of women, including safe
schools. So we were able to discuss the next steps.

She said the agency’s tactics was to join the activities of
government to increase the awareness of the communities to what
creates insecurity for the girls.

She added UN Women would also support the girls that had come
back from Boko Haram abduction to de-stigmatise and to ensure their
successful integration.

She commended Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for the way he
handled the affairs of the country during the period he was in the
saddle as the Acting President.

“When we were in Nigeria, we met with then Acting President and
we really found each other on the same page and that’s why already
we are seeing some follow-up.

“This includes the fact that he is a ‘HeForShe’ and he’s then
committed to relaunch the ‘HeForShe’.

“We will re-launch the ‘HeForShe’ now with the President –
Muhammadu Buhari,” the UN Women chief said.

‘HeForShe’ is a solidarity campaign for the advancement of women
initiated by UN Women.

Its goal is to engage men and boys as agents of change by
encouraging them to take action against negative inequalities faced
by women and girls