FEDERAL GOVT UNVEILS PORTAL FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AS PATHWAY TO END CHILD MARRIAGE
The Federal Government has unveiled an E-commerce portal which will serve as veritable platform of convergence for buyers, sellers, NGOs, farmers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers and people in other forms of business ventures that will ensure economic emancipation and sustainable empowerment of women as pathway towards ending child marriage in Nigeria.
Prior to the formal unveil of the portal by myself during a national dialogue on ending of child marriage in Nigeria, i observed that the portal which is tagged “PBAT Cares 4 Women E-Market” will provide a new lease of life for women especially those in the rural areas to properly harness their potentials and skills, have reliable means of earning a living and save money through seamless banking process.
by keying into the portal, women in registered Cooperative groups will enjoy limitless opportunities that will scale up their socio-economic status “ and also give mothers the voice to say no to early child marriage which has not only demeaned the dignity of our women and the girl child but also erodes the potentials of the female gender”
“As build up towards realizing set goals, the Women Affairs Ministry has started distributing industrial machines and farming equipment among states such as Kebbi, Oyo, Anambra, Jigawa, Kano, Imo, Ekiti and Benue for the first phase of distributions. Other states will be integrated into subsequent plans”
Speaking on behalf of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Emir of Zamfara, Alh. Attahiru Ahmad commended the organizers of the national discourse which according to him, “ will rejig our minds on the socio-cultural and economic consequences of child marriage and work out modalities towards eradication of child marriage in our country” He added that “ the Sultan has championed the same matter over the years and for us, the push to end child marriage in Nigeria cannot be negotiated”. He however, urged the Ministry of Women Affairs, UNICEF and other partners to take the advocacy across the