UMUAHIA – The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Women and Children Development Centre, Umuahia, Mr Felix Olunkwa, has said that women empowerment and gender equality could lead to sustainable development.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Friday to commemorate the 2014 International Women’s Day, Olunkwa said this year’s theme `equality for women is progress for all’ was apt due to the numerous contributions of women to global and national development.
“Over the time, there has been an improvement in the participation and presence of women in various sectors and top government positions in the country.
“The development is the outcome of the 35 per cent affirmative action for women initiated by the government which led to an increase in the number of women occupying top positions in the country,’’ he said.
The officer noted that there were records of women who had on their own distinguished themselves in various endeavours of life.
“These women made such impacts because they have been adequately empowered and have been given the opportunity to offer their contributions,” Olunkwa said.
He said that empowering women and ensuring that they enjoyed full human rights were central to the actualisation of sustainable growth.
He appealed to relevant agencies to give women opportunities to attain their full potentials both locally and internationally.
Olunkwa said this would encourage more women to enjoy improved social and economic well being and produce a positive effect on their families and society at large. (NAN)
