MINISTER of Women Affairs Pauline Tallen has urged security agencies to prioritise gender issues.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Women Affairs Olujimi Oyetomi on Wednesday, February 1.
According to the statement, Tallen made the call at the 3rd Annual Forum of Women, Peace and Security Sector Reference Group held in Abuja on Tuesday, January 31.
The minister noted that prioritising gender issues within the security sector includes protecting the rights of female officers and taking note of their challenges.
“The 2023 theme of the Forum, ‘The Role of Female Security Personnel in the 2023 General Elections,’ Tallen said, was carefully chosen to recognise the inherent potential of female security personnel to promote free and fair elections as well as to ensure violence free voting that will encourage increased women political participation,” the statement read.
She acknowledged officials of the Nigerian Armed Forces who had paid the ultimate price in defence of the nation amid worsening security challenges.
According to the statement, the UN Women Country Representative in Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Beatrice Eyong was also present at the event.
Eyong called for capacity building for Nigerian women to increase their ability to contest elective positions in the country.
“She noted that Women’s ability to vote for candidates of their choice or make themselves available to be voted for is hampered by socio-cultural and religious considerations,” the statement added.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.