Source: This Day Live
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, has said the Federal Government had concluded plans to institutionalise a forum for Female Ministers and Advisers in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to provide
the needed support to fast track the Transformation Agenda of the present administration, especially in the area of mainstreaming gender in government business.
She said the forum, which is an initiative of the minister, would also assist government to consolidate on the gains of the Affirmative Action target which had already been attained at the federal level with the recent appointments of 13 female Ministers and four Special Advisers, by the President.
Maina, who disclosed this recently, during the maiden policy dialogue meeting with her fellow female ministers, said it was imperative for the forum to support the immediate take off of the Gender Units in their various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as approved by the FEC.
She stated that this was in line with the women empowerment framework and gender mainstreaming strategies, stressing that there was need to institutionalise the forum as obtained in the Governors' Forum and the Forum of Local Government Chairmen (ALGON).
"As privileged representatives of the Nigerian women appointed by the president to contribute to the transformation process, we are also challenged to ensure gender balance in government operations as well as gender-focused budgeting across ministries, departments and agencies," she stated.
She said the support and cooperation of the respective ministries was being sought, as only a new dawn of collaboration in the people-oriented spirit of partnership, would Nigeria meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the country's Vision 20:2020, and President Goodluck Jonathan's Transformation Agenda.
Maina added that the platform was to further encourage a strong lobby group to intervene on issues affecting women both at the Federal Executive Council level and National Assembly.
"Together, we will have a strong voice in our advocacy strategies, and add value to what is being done in mainstreaming gender by the present Administration," the minister said.