The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Mrs Ene Obi.
ActionAid Nigeria, a social-justice Non-Government Organisation, has called on government at all levels to scale up investments in public services, including healthcare services.
The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Mrs Ene Obi, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday to commemorate the 2021 International Women’s Day Celebration.
Mrs. Obi said that the scaled up investments would help to reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care and domestic work.
She said this would ensure that women who are public sector workers at the frontline to have decent work and a guarantee of international labour standards.
She also called for the adoption of a care-centered approach for women which recognizes that care and well-being were critical to sustaining societies, economies, and the environment.
She said that the commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day was a strong reminder of the unanticipated struggles of Nigerian women.
She said women were the hardest hit by social and economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Mrs. Obi noted that many lost their paid jobs and women became saddled with the responsibility of caring for sick family members and providing their needs often in vulnerable, low paid roles with little protection.
According to her, reports of domestic violence doubled and almost paralyzed support system for survivors of violence due to the lockdowns.
The country director said that the 2021 theme: “Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world” was apt as it was committed to calling out gender biases and inequality.
She, therefore, called on all Nigerians to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements.
“Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive Nigeria where the empowerment and fulfillment of the rights of women and girls is normalized”.
“As the world beams a spotlight on women, we call on the Nigerian government to reflect and move from policy to action”.
“Government at all levels should classify and prioritize all Gender Based Violence services as essential services and ensure that they were publicly funded,’’ Obi said. (NAN)
Ebola: 2,167 people vaccinated in Guinea, DRC – WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says no fewer than 2, 167 people have been vaccinated in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against Ebola.
WHO Regional Office for Africa stated this in Ebola Outbreak Situation Report posted on its twitter @ WHOAFRO.
According to the UN health agency, 1,804 people have been vaccinated in Guinea while 1,083 people have been vaccinated in DRC.
Giving the breakdown of the cases, WHO stated 18 cases had been reported in Guinea while nine people have reported death from the number.
“We have traced 427 contacts and 81 per cent of the contacts are being monitored while 1,804 people vaccinated will help to prevent the spread’’.
Similarly, the UN global health agency said that 11 cases had been reported in DRC, four reported deaths, 643 contacts traced and 87 per cent of the contacts are monitored.
Earlier, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, has expressed concern over the resurgence of Ebola in the two countries.
“WHO is ramping up readiness and response efforts to this potential resurgence of Ebola in West Africa, a region which suffered so much from Ebola in 2014,’’ Moeti said. (NAN)