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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.
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