Intl Women's Day : 7000 Women Empowered, 2000 Trained On Skills Regarded As Men Preserve - NCWD DG

The Director General of National Centre For Women Development (NCWD) , Chief Mary Ekpere-Eta

The Director General of National Centre For Women Development (NCWD) , Chief Mary Ekpere-Eta has said that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government through her agency has empowerred not fewer than 7000 women and girls and trained another 2000 on skills perceived as men preserve.

Ekpere-Eta who stated this in her message to commemorate the 2021 International Women’s Day listed some of the skills the women acquired to include masonry, tiling, Plaster of Paris, Refrigerator and air condition repairs, generator repairs, handset and computer repairs, etc.

She said that Nigerian women choose to #challenge the existing status quo in the construction industry to ensure that barriers are broken and women take their own portion in the sector.

Speaking about this year's theme "CHOOSE TO Challenge", she said that "It provides a good opportunity to call out gender bias and inequality, seek out and accelerate women’s achievement and advocate for women’s increased participation in development and decision making".

The DG congratulated Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Director General, World Trade Organization, the First Female and African to occupy the seat for being a great role model to young Nigerian Women and giving them hope to aspire for greatness" .

She however decried that in Nigeria, "representation of Women at both elective and appointive positions has continued to deteriorate. Due to patriarchy, political violence, insurgency etc., the continuous violence before and after election has plummeted the number of women casting their votes.

In the past it is believed that more women turn out to vote than men. However, available statistics have shown that in 2019, the total number of registered voters by Gender was 84,004,084, out of which 53% (44.4m) were male and 47%(39.6m) were female. Out of this total number, only 26,348,429 were accredited for voting; that is about 32% of the total registered voters and of this number only 11,897,180 women voted. Negating the claim that more women voted than men in the 2019 general election".

She said that the centre was "commemorating the 2021 International Women’s Day with a grassroot project themed: “Promoting Women’s Leadership in Nigeria through Popular Mobilization of Women in Carrying out their Civic Responsibilities", to encourage more women to participate in politics. While making case unpaid care workers, she said that "I call on all stakeholders to join the National Centre for Women Development in choosing to Challenge, Sexual/Gender Based Violence, Patriarchy, discrimination against women".