Chairperson of the Commonwealth of Women Parliamentarians, Africa Region, Hon. Zainab Gimba said the body would leverage on several platforms available to it to promote gender equality and women Empowerment.
Speaking at a press conference to mark the celebration of the International Women’s day titled: “Happy International Women’s Day”, in Abuja, the lawmaker pointed out that the Beijing platform for action which came into effect in the last 25 years has impacted on women globally.
She stressed that there were platforms put in place by the United Nations and the African Union to further entrench gender equality, while calling on women globally to rise to the occasion.
“It is worth noting that different strategies and resolutions have been put in place to ensure that gender equality and women Empowerment is achieved across all sectors, particularly in economic, social, political and in decision making bodies.
“CPA Africa Region has also made an important step towards the increase of women in national parliaments. ”
According to her, ” the Beijing agreement had evidently encouraged women participation in governance and in Parliaments across Africa, which she said include: Rwanda 61.2%, South Africa 46.2%, Namibia 42.7%, Mozambique 41.2%, Tanzania 36.9%, and Uganda 34.8%.”
She however decried the low participation of women in Parliaments in the West African sub region.
Hon. Zainab regretted that only a slight number of 8 and 13 Parliamentarians were in the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively, stressing that the number was unacceptable.
