The Edo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. (Mrs.) Magdalene Ohenhen, has commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for bridging gender gaps across different sectors of the state.
Ohenhen gave the commendation while addressing journalists in Benin City, on Friday, in commemoration of the 2019 International Women’s Day.
She described the Obaseki-led administration as gender friendly, noting that many women have been given the opportunity to contribute to the economic and political growth of the state.
“Governor Obaseki and his wife, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki have done a lot for women in the state. Mrs. Obaseki spearheaded the process which led to the signing of the Violence Against Persons (VAP) Law in the state,” she said.
According to the commissioner, “For the first time in the state, we have a Special Adviser on Gender Issues and 18 other Special Assistants on Gender Issues, who were selected from the 18 Local Government Areas of the state to bridge the gender gaps in their localities.”
The governor, she said, “inaugurated a committee on the implementation of the World Bank-sponsored Nigeria for Women Project to benefit 54,000 women in the state.”
On the activities lined up to mark the 2019 International Women’s Day, Ohenhen said the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development will organise a-one day advocacy/sensitisation workshop for women across the state to celebrate the gender-friendly policies of the Obaseki-led administration.
She added that the global theme for the 2019 International Women’s Day, ‘Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change’ was apt as the growing digital divide among genders in innovation and technology needs to be addressed.
