A non-governmental organisation (NGO), the League of Women Voters of Nigeria, Niger State Chapter, has commended Gov. Umar Mohammed Bago for including women in his administration.
The state chairperson of the organisation, Dr. Aisha Saliu Lemu, made the commendation during an interactive session between the leadership of the organisation and members of the media on the activities of the NGO in Minna on Wednesday.
She disclosed that appointing about six women into his cabinet and another set of over 130 as senior special advisers, special advisers, and coordinators was a commendable gesture by the governor, which, according to her, will encourage women's participation in politics and governance.
Dr. Aisha Saliu Lemu also observed that women form a larger share of Nigerian voters but are relegated to the background when it comes to engagement in governance and other critical matters of nation-building.
She explained that the League of Women Voters seeks to educate and mobilise women to enable them to play an effective and efficient role in governance and public matters, as well as defend and perfect Nigeria's democracy.
Dr. Aisha Lemu, who was supported during the briefing by the state secretary of the NGO, Barr. Maryam Kolo, and other members of the league in the state, disclosed that the organisation is a non-partisan move to educate and mobilise women to participate actively in governance and national development.
She added that the organisation also fights for the rights of women, especially violence against women, be it domestic, sexual harassment, or political violence against women, hence the rationale behind their collaboration with the Ministries of Women Affairs, Justice, the Child Rights Agency, and other relevant organisations in the state.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the organisation, Barr. Maryam Kolo, said the relationship between the League of Women Voters and ministries of women affairs, justice, and the Child's Rights Agency was cordial, as they were complementing the efforts of the ministries and the agency in terms of the fight against violence against women.
She observed that a lot of victims of gender violence die in silence because they cannot open up for fear of stigmatisation, urging victims of any form of violence against women, be it domestic, sexual harassment, or political violence, to feel free to contact the organisation if they cannot reach out to the ministry of women affairs, justice, and child's rights agency officials.
Barr. Maryam Kolo also disclosed that they were looking forward to working closely with the First Lady of the State and chairperson of the state committee on violence against persons, Hajiya Fatima Umar Bago, whom she said had been doing her best in terms of women's advancement in the state.