INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’s DAY 2021: ActionAid urges governments to adopt gender care-centered approach in re-organizing economy
By Faith Awa Maji
ActionAid Nigeria, a social justice non-governmental organization working to promote women’s rights, combat poverty and all forms of injustice in Nigeria has urged government at all levels to adopt and prioritize the incorporation of “Care” at the center of re-organizing the economy and society.
The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi stated this while commemorating the 2021 International Women’s Day.
She said it is a strong reminder of the unanticipated struggles of Nigerian women who were the hardest hit by social and economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020.
“Many lost their paid jobs and women became saddled with the unpaid responsibility of caring for sick family members and providing their needs often in vulnerable, low paid roles with little protection. Reports of domestic violence doubled amidst an almost paralyzed support system for survivors of violence due to the lockdowns”.
According to the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, currently, insecurity has further plunged the country into multiple and intersecting crises with women as primary targets and easy preys.
“As the country re-strategizes to rise above this current situation, we call for the adoption of a care-centered approach which recognizes that care and well-being are critical to sustaining societies, economies, and the environment”.
Mrs Ene Obi explained that a care-centered approach also entails investing in gender-based violence prevention and response in all public and private spaces.
ActionAid Nigeria also called for a scale up of investments in public services, including public healthcare services in order to reduce and redistribute women’s unpaid care and domestic work; and ensure women public sector workers who are at the frontline have decent work and a guarantee of international labour standards.
“Care needs to be valued, redistributed and should be integral to humanitarian preparedness and response policies.”
International Women’s Day is marked every 8th March of each year as this year’s theme was“Women in Leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”.
