President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday called on African countries to intensify efforts to remove all barriers that limit women and the girl child from actualizing their dreams.
The president was speaking in Abuja while declaring open the 7th summit of the African first ladies peace mission holding in the federal capital territory.
He said that women must be protected against all forms of discriminations and be given equal opportunities and access to education, politics and the economy.
President Jonathan pledged that his administration will continue to lend support to the attainment of the goals of the peace mission saying that the summit reaffirms the sense of urgency of the challenging political and security situation facing several countries on the African continent.
He however decried the new threats of drug and human trafficking, climate change, kidnapping, terrorism, poverty and sectarian conflicts which undermine the efforts to work towards achieving sustainable peace, and development in African countries.
