The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called for critical policy and social reforms that put gender equality and sustainability at the centre of governance, politics, and international affairs.
This was contained in a statement signed on Tuesday by the President of the Chamber, Asiwaju Michael Olawale-Cole.
The statement said women participation at various levels of management had yielded promising results, which calls for more conversation regarding the subject matter of gender parity.
The statement read in part, “The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a gender-sensitive organisation is pleased to congratulate women all over the world on this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations today, 8th of March 2022. The theme of this year’s edition, “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow” provides us an opportunity to join voices with people around the world and shout our message for equal rights and that “Women’s rights are human rights!” This year’s theme is all about recognizing and amplifying the important role women and girls around the world play in addressing climate change for a more sustainable future.”
“Beyond the speeches and celebrations that mark the annual International Women’s Day, we use this medium to call for critical policy and social reforms that put gender equality and sustainability at the center of governance, politics, and international affairs. Women should be given equal access to resources for them to add more value to society. The Food and Agriculture Organization revealed that if women farmers had equal access to productive resources, their farm yields would increase by 20 to 30 percent. This could provide enough food to keep 100 to 150 million people from hunger and thereby reducing global hunger to 17 per cent.”
“At all levels of government, women’s representation and leadership appear to drive better performance and more sensitive to environmental outcomes. At the local level, women’s participation in managing natural resources has led to more equitable and inclusive resource management and better conservation outcomes in Nigeria. In public service, women have proved to be less corrupt than their men folks who have been in the news for the wrong reasons.”
The statement further condemned the decision of both chambers of the National Assembly to reject a “Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for Special Seats for Women at the National and state Houses of Assembly.”
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