LAGOS DEPUTY GOVERNOR URGES NASS, INEC TO SPONSOR BILLS IN SUPPORT OF WOMEN PROFESSIONALS
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule has urged the National Assembly and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enact laws and give guidelines that would provide enabling environment for women professionals to participate in politics.
Adebule, who made the call at the weekend while speaking at the 8th Annual Mentoring and Leadership event organised by the Women In Successful Careers (WISCAR), themed ‘Women Rising: Transforming Leadership’, said that such participation was the only legal and credible means of assuming political leadership in a democratic society.
According to her, “Women’s inherent leadership qualities can provoke the real and desirable change in the society.”
Adebule noted that the rise of women professionals and their quality leadership style in corporate organisations especially in the financial sector has helped to promote healthy corporate culture in the country as well as help in stabilizing the sector in spite of the present economic recession.
She said that if the socio- economic sectors are utilising the professionalism and expertise of women to develop, it becomes imperative for the lawmakers and other policymakers to make appropriate legislations and formulate policies that will encourage more women participation in politics so as to let them contribute their quota to the overall socio-economic development of the country.
“Any society that promotes the dignity of women and gives them opportunity to thrive will experience rapid development because women are family-centric, which is regarded as the foremost frontier for national development,” the Deputy Governor noted.
While calling on women to be more proactive and continue to develop themselves as well as be prepared for leadership position any time they are called upon, Adebule urged them to rise to the emerging challenges of leadership role now that the nation is at a crossroad in our national socio-economic development and the decline in our value system.
Adebule pledged that the State government would continue to support programmes aimed at promoting the development of talented women to contribute to the growth of the State and the country at large.
She disclosed that the State government is currently working on a new set of laws that would further protect women against various forms of abuses, adding that the recently established Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) by the State government is aimed at ensuring that prompt attention is given to issues of abuse of women in the State so as to give them confidence to thrive without any hindrance.
She assured that the present administration will continue to encourage and allow equal access to opportunities by women in leadership positions.
In her remarks, Mrs. Amina Oyagbola, founder of WISCAR said there was the need to promote inspiration, mentorship, advocacy on women empowerment and gender issues to spur women into taking up leadership positions in their endeavors.
Oyagbola said that women had the capabilities to create a difference in leadership effectiveness, stressing that new ideas and innovation are required to scale through the present challenges faced in the country.
She therefore urged women to explore their potentials, take up leadership positions, add value to the society, and contribute to the growth and development of the nation