A Non-Governmental Organisation, Youlead360 Development Initiatives, has called on the governors and other stakeholders in the six states of the Northeast sub-region to take action and bridge gap in gender disparity and ensure inclusion in governance.
Senior Programme Manager of the group, Mr Cliff Stanley, made the call during a regional summit on Gender and Inclusion, held in Gombe.
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He said the summit was organised to address gender inequality and social exclusion in the Northeast sub-region to further mitigate consequences bedevilling women and youths.
He said women and marginalized groups in the Northeast region have been disproportionately affected by conflict, facing barriers to access education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, among others.
Mr Stanley explained that by addressing the disparities in gender and inclusion, governments can create a more equitable society and also ensure sustainable peace and development in the northeast sub-region region.
He added that it is crucial for policymakers to listen to the voices of those most affected by the conflict and prioritize their needs in rebuilding efforts.
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In a keynote address, Dr Rose Idi highlighted the challenges people living in the Northeast faced, noting that they have suffered neglect over the years.
“The region has suffered from disenfranchisement. The attempt is to break barriers, social construct, indoctrination, and limitations on hazardous exposure.
“Generally, they say poverty bears the face of a woman, from reportage we are way behind development goals.
“It’s common to talk about women as most marginalised, discriminated, but in Nigeria 60 is under 30, so the inclusion of youth group are the most marginalised,” she said.
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Dr Idi bemoaned the huge neglect of women and youth, adding that the social divide is becoming sharper; “where one is either extremely rich or extremely poor, but there is no middle class.
“Apart from the social divide, there is poor literacy, maternal mortality, hunger, environmental degradation, energy crisis and leaves little room in the minds of average Nigerian to think of inclusion.
