National Gender Policy to be passed -- Minister
A National Gender Policy to mainstream gender issues for economic reform agenda has been drafted for passage before the end of this administration.
The gender policy, which is expected to harness the full potential of all social groups, regardless of sex will encourage the participation and cooperation of men in taking shared responsibilities.
The minister of women affairs, Mrs Maryam Ciroma, stated these in an address at a one-day meet ing on the finalisation and adoption of the National Gender Policy for Nigeria in Abuja.
Ciroma said that there was need for a policy framework that would replace the current policy on women.
``Once adopted, the policy will become an effective vehicle for the actualisation of other developmental instruments such as NEEDS/SEEDS, MDGs,  CEDAW, '' she said.
Ciroma said that the process that culminated in that finalisation and adoption meeting started in August 2006 with the engagements of three consultants and three technical assistants by the ministry.
``It is expected that when the policy is finalised and passed, the issue of gender mainstreaming and women's human rights in the country will be greatly enhanced,'' she added.
A Consultant, Mrs Esther Eghobamiem said the National Gender Policy would promote common ownership of the gender policy framework to include men concerning developmental issues.
`The policy is not just for women but for men, boys and girls,'' she said.
She noted that the objective of the policy was to locate gender as a social category since the problem of development affected both men and women.
``The female gender is heterogeneous just like the men. We have not rich and poor men as well as men that are marginalised,'' she said.
The National Gender Policy draft was done with the support of development partners such as UNICEF, UNIFEM, UNFPA, the EHNANCE Project.