Women pay the supreme price more than men, say NEMA, UNDP

Nigerian women dancing at a political rally.

Nigerian women and girls have paid a heavier price in armed conflict situations and in other emergencies than their male counterparts.

Besides, they are said to have endured unprecedented levels of violence and abuse, which have resulted in many social vices and health complications, especially those caused by the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.

The Director-General of, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Yinusa Maihaji, said this, yesterday, at the Expert Technical Review Workshop held at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru near Jos. Mallam Mohammed Abdulsalam, the North Central zone director, represented him.

He said: “Women are largely marginalized and discriminated against, especially on policies and decision–making processes affecting their lives and their voices usually go unheard. While we appreciate that progress has been made to enhance women’s status in Nigeria, we also need to take into account baseline indicators regarding prevailing gender gaps so that we may orient our policies adequately.”

He, therefore, urged them to move beyond rhetoric to action in their endeavor to build a just and equitable society, as now is the time to act.