International Women’s Day 2021: AAN urges governments to reorganise economy, society

Etim Ekpimah

ActionAid Nigeria has called on the federal, state, and local governments in the country to prioritise and incorporate “Care” at the centre of reorganising the economy and society.

Speaking in Abuja during the 2021 International Women’s Day, the Country Director, AAN, Ene Obi, noted that the commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day is a strong reminder of the unanticipated struggles of Nigerian women, who were the hardest hit by social and economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Communications Coordinator, Lola Ayanda, on Monday.

“Many lost their paid jobs and women became saddled with the unpaid responsibility of caring for sick family members and providing their needs often in vulnerable, low paid roles with little protection.

“Reports of domestic violence doubled amidst an almost paralysed support system for survivors of violence due to the lockdowns.

“Currently, insecurity has further plunged the country into multiple and intersecting crises with women as primary targets and easy preys.

“As the country re-strategizes to rise above this current situation, we call for the adoption of a care-centred approach which recognizes that care and well-being are critical to sustaining societies, economies, and the environment.

“A care-centred approach also entails investing in gender-based violence prevention and response in all public and private spaces. Care needs to be valued, redistributed and should be integral to humanitarian preparedness and response policies,” Obi said.

Obi described the theme for 2021 International Women’s Day, “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world,” as apt.

According to her, AAN recommits to challenging and calling out gender bias and inequality. She added that ActionAid Nigeria joins the world to amplify #ChooseToChallenge and call on all Nigerians to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements.

She, however, enthused that collectively, Nigerians can help create an inclusive Nigeria, where the empowerment and fulfilment of the rights of women and girls is normalized.

She added: “As the world beams a spotlight on women, we call on the Nigerian government to reflect and move from policy to action.

“Governments at all levels should classify and prioritize all GBV services as essential services and ensure that they are publicly funded, universal and gender responsive including services for excluded populations without discrimination.

“ActionAid Nigeria also calls for a scale up of investments in public services, including public healthcare services to reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care and domestic work; and ensure women public sector workers who are at the frontline have decent work and a guarantee of international labour standards.”

Obi noted that ActionAid Nigeria, is a social justice non-governmental organization working to promote women’s rights, combat poverty and all forms of injustice in Nigeria.