.Wants Govt to bridge gender gaps in access to healthcare, trade
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Designate of Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Dr. Tayo Aduloju, has called on the federal government to expand gender-inclusive economic opportunities, and bridge gaps in access to healthcare and advance gender equality.
Briefing journalists on the forthcoming Gender and Inclusion Summit, being organized by the Policy Innovation Centre, Adulujo noted that despite their significant contributions to informal trade, women continue to have limited access to resources and markets adding that there are also significant gaps in access to health services and Nigeria’s maternal mortality remains among the highest in the world.”
He further stated that “considering these realities, the high-level forum on the SDGs has partnered with the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) to ensure seamless delivery of the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2023.”
Adulujo stated that the upcoming event slated for November 28 and 29, with the theme, ‘Building Bridges: Advancing Gender and Inclusion through the Intersection of Trade and Health’, aimed at facilitating the advancement of a gender-inclusive society adding that it is necessary to consider how trade, investment and health policies and interventions affect women, men, and vulnerable populations differently.
He said, ‘By joining forces and leveraging the collective power of government, development partners, civil society, academia and the private sector, the summit aims to foster collective commitment and focused action. The event promises to be a catalyst for positive change, uniting voices, inspiring commitments, and mobilizing stakeholders to advance gender equality.
According to him, ‘The Gender and Inclusion Summit was conceptualized in 2022 as annual event to provide an inclusive platform to explore transformative ways to advance gender equality, inclusion and gender responsive governance in Africa”.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Policy Innovation Centre, Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu stated that “The 2023 Gender and Inclusion Summit will explore strategies to advance gender and inclusion by harnessing the potential of trade to promote economic participation, reduce inequalities, improve access to opportunities as well as innovative approaches to bridging healthcare financing gaps and access to quality healthcare services.”
The Summit will be a two-day hybrid (physical and virtual) event comprising of plenary, panel, breakout sessions, oral and poster presentations, skills building workshops, creative/art competitions and exhibitions.
Dr. Dirisu further stated that “The Summit will provide an all-inclusive platform for dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders by amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable and co-creating innovative solutions to bridging inequality gaps in Nigeria.”
The Gender and Inclusion Summit was an annual gathering dedicated to evidence driven dialogues, policy advocacy and for annual check-ins on progress made or challenges in advancing Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in Nigeria.