The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Hulayat Omidiran, has joined other women leaders to urge the female gender to forge a united front against all forms of barriers against them.
Omidiran gave the advice in New York while presenting a keynote address at the Global Women Partnership Without Borders forum on the sidelines of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70).
The FCC head said imbalance against women is detrimental to the society
“Unity cannot flourish where exclusion persists. A nation divided by imbalance cannot fully harness its strength,” she said.
“Gender balancing means equitable representation of all genders in leadership and economic participation. Inclusivity ensures governance reflects the diversity of the governed.
“When leadership mirrors its population, trust deepens and participation increases.”
Omidiran pledged her Commission’s commitment to ensure “a Nigeria where opportunity is not determined by bias but by merit; where diversity is harmonized into unity.”
Also speaking, former Minister of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen, regretted that “no country has achieved full legal equality for women”.
“Globally, women hold just 64 per cent of men’s legal rights. In Nigeria, women are 70 per cent of farm labour yet own under 15 per cent of land.
“We rank near-bottom in women’s political empowerment, with under four per cent of National Assembly seats. That is sad, and it must change.”
Tallen, a former Plateau deputy governor, reeled out her achievements at the ministry of women affairs.
“We declared a national emergency on gender-based violence, rolled out the Violence Against Persons Act, and built the Ministry’s headquarters after 20 years.”
She underscored the need for partnership without borders among women, including sharing legal reforms, cross-border mentorship and technology to make no woman invisible.
“Not photo-op alliances, but ones standing years later when work gets hard.”
Earlier in her remarks, Global Coordinator of Women of Worth Global, Betty Olutunde, declared that “women must celebrate women across borders, sectors, and generations”.
Olutunde said the association was founded in Nigeria to recognize and amplify the contributions of women whose achievements often go unseen.
“We create platforms where women’s voices are heard, accomplishments recognised and leadership strengthened.
The high point of the event was the presentation of “Women of Worth Global Group’s Champion of Women’s Empowerment: award presented to President Bola Tinubu.
The award recognised Tinubu’s “pivotal role in elevating women’s roles nationwide” and was received in his behalf by the Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Amb. Abubakar Jidda.
Wife of Osun Governor, Mrs Ngozi Adeleke, received the “Inclusive Community Development award, while Jidda received the “Diplomatic Leadership in Advancing Women in Power” award, among other recipients.
