The Presidential candidate of the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari has promised to implement the 2005 National Gender Policy, to ensure gender equality for Nigerian women.
Buhari, who said this at an interactive session with women from different walks of life, in Lagos, South-west Nigeria, further urged the women to vote out the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan in the forthcoming elections.
Top on the list of the promises he made was that gender would be “mainstreamed throughout all government commitments”, in key areas including economy, education, health, security, power, agriculture.
He also promised that the 2005 National Gender Policy “which serves as a road map for promotion of women empowerment and gender equality” will be implemented, noting that the current government had no political will to implement the critical framework.
He also said the promotion of anti-discrimination legislations and women’s rights would afford women equality and equity in several sectors of the economy.
During the question and answer session, some of the women raised several issues including employment opportunities for women and youths, domestic violence, support for the fashion industry, opportunities for women in government, the state of education in the country, affordable housing, cultism in schools, lack of structure in Nollywood, free health care, child marriage etc.
While addressing their concerns, Buhari stressed on the need to ensure stability in the power sector to ensure that entrepreneurs’ business grow, as well as strengthen the naira, which had fallen in value since the oil slump in 2014.
Buhari also addressed concerns about the Chibok schoolgirls, noting that it was an evidence of incompetence “If about 220 children (girls) of ages between 14 and 18 were removed from a single environment and for about a year the government could not secure them”.
Notable APC members at the event were Bola Tinubu, Lagos state governor, Raji Fashola, Lagos APC governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, Honourable Abike Dabiri, wife of former Ekiti governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, Edo SSG, Patrick Obahiaghon, Deputy Governors of Lagos and Osun states amongst others.