By Ahmed Rahma
The founder of Arise Women Conference, Dr Siju Iluyomade, has declared that gender inequality, which is one of the problems that face every developing country in 21st century, is the major cause of unemployment in Nigeria.
The Nigerian lawyer, therefore, encouraged women to fight against poverty. She said this during the International Women’s Day celebration.
She said the latest data released on unemployment in the country by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that women ranked the highest when it comes to unemployment.
“The discrimination against women remains a common occurrence today and serves to hinder economic prosperity,” Mrs Iluyomade said.
Speaking on poverty, the activist said it has persisted and several interventions have failed to yield significant improvement in Nigeria’s Human Development Index even in periods of economic growth.
Plagued with the challenges of unemployment crises, climate change, conflict, fragility and violence, Nigeria (the most populous country in Africa) stands at a grave risk if poverty is not tackled.
On efforts of Arise have made to improve on the lots of women in the society, she said, “Arise has set up several skill acquisition and empowerment programmes all across the nation to aid the Women and Girl child with adequate skills required to compete in the economic market and be gainfully employed.”
While urging other corporate bodies to give more support to women, especially in Africa, the delectable philanthropist further emphasised that education should be accessible to everyone irrespective of gender disclosing that Arise Women started equal educational projects in areas with the highest rate of illiteracy.
According to her, “we have built a well-equipped library in the Dafara village, a suburb in Abuja under our adopt a village project.
“Primary and secondary schools have been built in Kobi and several other communities in Nigeria, all aimed at improving female literacy which is now among highest in West Africa.”
