Nigerian gov't urged to support UN reform in women empowerment

The Nigerian government has been urged to support the reforms in the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) to strengthen gender equality in all spheres of life.

Joy Ezeilo, executive director of the Women Aid Collective ( WACOL), an NGO in Nigeria, made the call in a statement released on Friday in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Ezeilo said there was a dire need for Nigeria to have a voice in the present reforms going on in the UN system.

"This is a clarion call for all to join in advocating for the strengthening of the UNIFEM as members of the international community continue to debate on the UN reforms," she said.

UNIFEM is a UN institution that provides assistance to innovative programs and strategies to foster women's empowerment and gender equality while giving voice to women and girls worldwide.

According to her, the present structural reforms going on will most likely have far reaching effect on existing UN structures and institutions such as UNIFEM.

"Unfortunately, the voices of African women, in particular West African sub-region, are missing. It has become imperative for us to speak out and demand that our governments give its influence," she said.

Ezeilo stressed the need for the West African governments to lend their support to the strengthening of the gender equality architecture of the UN through a transformed UNIFEM.

"Undoubtedly, African women will be great beneficiary of this as UNIFEM will be repositioned to implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to empower women in all spheres of life," she said.

Source: Xinhua