By Isaac Eranga
Benin City, Nigeria – Edo State government has commended the Echoes of Women in Africa Initiative (ECOWA) for the successful validation of a draft bill on women economic justice for Edo State.
This commendation was made by Edo State Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Joseph Eboigbe during a one-day validation workshop held in Benin City, in collaboration with Women for Fairness and Equity Organization (WEFON), with support from Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAFA).
Hon. Eboigbe who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Obaseki on Gender Issues, Ms. Christie Onyonyor, said the bill when passed into law will help improve the economic wellbeing of women and the standard of living in the society. He described the bill as timely and square peg in square hole.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs. Ifueko Alufohai said “the bill when passed into law will promote the financial independence of women.”
She said it will also give women the capacity to participate in, contribute to and benefit from growth process in ways that recognizes the value of their contributions”.
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director of Humanitarian Department in the Ministry, Izegaeabe Joy, said the law will also afford women in Edo State the opportunity to contribute to the economic development of the State via “wealth creation and distribution; job creation; improved standard of living; and enhancement of community development”.
Representing the Commissioner for Youth and Gender Issues, Mr. Adaze Ewanta, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry, Eseosa Onebamoi, described the bill as an instrument of hope for Edo women and that it will give women “access to decent work and control over their own time, lives and bodies.
“It will also create access to training and re-training at place of work that will enable them achieve the highest leadership position of their career.
“This bill when passed into law, I’ll give women right to inheritance at place of birth and marriage. It will also give women access to social protection such as pensions, unemployment, benefits and maternity protection”, she said.
Earlier, the Founder of ECOWA, Mrs. Louisa Eikhomun-Agbonkhese said the bill was aimed at eradicating sexual violence meted on Edo women, including all forms of harassment or intimidation, especially when women are being victimized or discriminated against by virtue of ethnic, religion, age, location, income or social status.
“Every women shall enjoy equitable, consideration, celebration in the work place, diversity and difference”, she said.
