ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government says, it has achieved the 35% Affirmative Action for women, in accordance with the 2006 National Gender Policy, which aims to improve women’s participation in governance.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs Mrs. Flora Alantan, stated this in a briefing with newsmen in Asaba, the state capital, as part of a weeklong activity to celebrate the 2021 International Women’s Day in the state. With the theme: Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World.
Mrs. Alantan stressed that under the current administration many women have been given political appointments, including the emergence of seventeen victorious women Vice-Chairmen in the recent local government elections in the state.
“Delta State has really set the pace for all the states. Of the twenty five local government areas, we have seventeen of them (women) as Vice-Chairmen. And the number of councilors, taking it above the 35% we have been clamoring for.” She said.
The Commissioner further explained that different categories of women have also benefitted from empowerment programs of the state government, in addition to the free health care services for pregnant women and plans to assist widows living with HIV.
“Every category of women in Delta State have been captured. Whether being physically challenged, whether being a widow, every category are captured in their area of ability.”
On COVID-19, the Commissioner said women and girls experienced an increase in domestic and sexual violence during the pandemic, noting efforts were on to prosecute offenders and to rehabilitate the victims in the cases reported to the ministry.
