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AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR OF EKITI STATE. DR KAYODE FAYEMI AT THE STATE GENDER

SUMMIT ON TUESDAY, 1ST NOVEMBER, 2011

PROTOCOLS

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the State Gender

Summit. The Summit, which is the first of its kind since the

creation of our dear State, is aimed at assessing the policy

direction of Government on Gender issues and creating an open

dialogue on sustainable gender programming for the State. This

is with a view to drawing workable and effective implementation

strategies.

I welcome particularly our keynote speaker, Professor Bisi Aina

and other speakers. At a forum of this nature, it is appropriate to

do a self appraisal, recognize the steps that have been taken, and

draw the lessons that would make us forge ahead for best

practices on gender issues.

 

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Today, women still live in poverty, lack basic human

rights and freedom. Statistics from the United Nations stared us

in the face as we are confronted with incontrovertible facts that

across the World, 66 per cent of the World’s work is done by

women, 50 per cent of food related work is done by women. Yet

only 10 percent of the income is earned by women and one

percent of property is owned by them. Studies of a wide range of

societies show the women are an important engine for growth

and development. Their ability to save and invest in their families

is well documented; as the family’s nutritional gatekeeper,

women fight hunger and malnutrition. Their largely unrecorded

role in agriculture explains the survival of many traditional

subsistence communities on marginal lands. Unfortunately, in

many places, tradition, inaccessibility to information and

disenfranchisement make women not only a marginalized group

but also vunerable. Human rights violations are prevalent with

 

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women’s rights being violated much more often

than those of men in both the public and private spheres.

Most of these violations of women’s rights are frequently

associated with the unwritten traditional norms and practices.

These practices have a devastating impact on their health and

well –being which further undermine their progress and

development. Also historical factors and unequal gender relations

continue to hinder women’s access to land and control over

resources in a number of ways while gender based violence is

pervasive as evident in incidences of rape and other forms of

physical and psychological abuse of women and girls.

Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, though these challenges are

numerous, the commitment of this administration to gender

empowerment and gender equality remains strong, recognizing

the fact that gender empowerment is a prerequisite for

sustainable development. I am happy to say, today, that this

 

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administration has made progressive impact on

women empowerment as pledged in the 8 – point Agenda. This is

my pact with the Ekiti Women. The government is committed to

providing the enabling environment and framework for gender

mainstreaming. Within the last one year, we have been able to:

i. Provide an enhanced Budget for Gender issues;

ii. Domesticate the National Gender Policy in the State. I

presented Ekiti State Gender and Development Policy to

the good people of the State during the activities

marking the first Anniversary of this administration;

iii. Give considerable attention to the appointment of

women to critical public positions;

iv. Ensure the health and well being of women through the

Free Health Mission. Free health care of pregnant

women and under- fives and Social Security Scheme for

Senior Citizens

 

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The State Government is committed to the full and

effective implementation of the State Gender and Development

Policy of Government. Women and Gender issues would be

mainstreamed into all policies, programmes and activities of

Government. A lot still needs to be done to improve the situation

of women and such improvements are identified and enhanced

through the forum of this nature by sharing successes, challenges

and opportunities’. I observe that the main anticipated challenge

of the policy is to translate the objectives and targets to concrete

action that guarantees the actualization of the policy framework

for the development of Ekiti State particularly our women at the

grassroots.

I wish to express deep appreciations to relevant stakeholders

particularly the Non – Governmental Organizations, Community

leaders and Law Enforcement Agents for partnering with us in

ensuring that the right of the citizens is protected. I commend the

efforts of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Development and

 

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Gender Empowerment and Ekiti Development

Foundation for collaborating to host this summit.

It is now my privilege and honour to declare the first Ekiti State

Gender Summits open to the glory of God and benefit of all.

Thank you and God bless.