MINISTER FOR GENDER, CHILDREN AND SOCIAL PROTECTION PARTICIPATES AT THE ECOWAS MEETING

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu and her team have participated at the ECOWAS’ Meeting held at the on-going 67th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to discuss allocation of 30% of mining proceeds for the welfare of women and the vulnerable in society.

As one of the key speakers at the conference, Hon. Lariba Abudu together with other member states and dignitaries have forwarded, among others, the following requests to the ECOWAS Commission:

. Strengthen the consideration of the specific needs of women working in artisanal mining through mechanisms that can facilitate business opportunities.

. Increase the presence of women by a least a representation of 30% in bodies monitoring the implementation of the African mining vision.

. Support and ensure the dissemination and implementation of the new ECOWAS Model Law on mining and all aspects related to the specific needs of women and girls.

. Support the 30% allocation of resources and representation of women in decision-making bodies in the ECOWAS zone by proposing harmonization mechanisms.

. Set aside at least 30% of revenues from the extractive sector (sub-national transfers) to support projects that improve the lives of women and girls in general. Sub-regional, national and community levels.

. Allocate a minimum of 30% of jobs to women and gradually (by 2030) improve women’s access to leadership positions across the extractive industries value chain.

On another event, Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu held fruitful bilateral discussions with the Minster for Social Security and Labour of Lithuania and her team.

The Bilateral discussion focused on how both countries can learn best practices from each other and support the two countries especially in the area of social interventions.

Source: MoGCSP