The Co-conveners of African Women Conference have called on the new Director-General of National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Dr. Asabe Bashir, to focus on challenges facing rural and vulnerable women.
This was contained in a statement issued by Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, co-convener of the conference on Friday, April 9, in Abuja.
Ahmadu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Bashir as the Director-General of the NCWD.
The group urged her to use her present position to focus more on bottom top approach on the development of women, stressing that rural women are more vulnerable.
“Going by her pedigree as a lawmaker and astute politician, she is a woman who has contributed immensely to nation building especially on issues that affect women and children.
”Also, at the regional and continental levels, she has been a voice to the voiceless. We, therefore, call on her to use her present position to focus more on the development of rural women who are more vulnerable in the present economic realities.
” We are ready to support her in the implementation of programmes and policies gear towards the development of women and children in the country.
”It should be all hands deck to ensure that women are equipped with all relevant information to adapt to the post COVID-19 reality that has led to new normal,” she said.
Bashir was a member of Borno House of Assembly in 1997 and 2003.
She later became a member of the Borno Executive Council from 2005 to 2014 as Commissioner of Ministries of Health; Agriculture and Natural Resources; Housing and Rural Electrification; Poverty Alleviation and Youth Empowerment, Women Affairs and Youth Development.
She also served in the House of Representatives where she represented Gwoza, Damboa and Chibok Federal Constituency between 2015 to 2019.
(NAN)