Foundation urges investment on women empowerment

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation has called on stakeholders to target investments that empower women and girls to make decisions about their lives and health.

In a statement Sunday to mark this year’s International Women’s Day, the organisation said doing so will enable women to achieve bodily autonomy and reach their full potential.

The foundation also called for joint efforts to accelerate investments in gender equality.

Quoting the World Economic report, it said Nigeria ranks 122 out of 144 countries on the Gender Gap index, adding that gender inequality is widespread within various areas, including access to health services, access to economic livelihoods, enforcement of legal rights, and societal norms.

The statement said Ipas Nigeria’s recent research indicates that a staggering 76% of women and girls (aged 15 – 49) have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.

Lucky Palmer, the Country Director of Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation, said it is mind-boggling that women continue to bear the brunt of multiple gaps within our society.

He said gender inequality has reinforced some of the gaps as exemplified in some worrisome statistics.