International Women’s Day: Coalition tasks govts on emergency transportation to pregnant women, children 

By Felicia Imohimi

Transportation
Abuja, March 8, 2020 (NAN) A Coalition of women groups led by Mrs Gloria Shoda, the President, National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), has urged Nigerian Governments to provide emergency transportation for pregnant women and newborns in need.

The coalition, under the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH@Scale project), urged government should collaborate with Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and other transport unions to ensure attention was given to women and children in emergency situations.

The coalition made the call at a news conference organised by Development Research Projects Centre (dRPC-PAS), an NGO, on Sunday in Abuja to commemorate the International Women’s Day (IWD).

IWD is marked annually on March 8, to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and also a call to action for accelerating gender parity.

Shoda also said that community leaders, gatekeepers, traditional and religious leaders and other well-meaning Nigerians should promote voluntary blood donation to assist women in need.

She identified women’s sexual, reproductive health and rights as human rights and fundamental to women’s autonomy and well-being.

Shoda said that the Nigerian government has the duty to fulfill women’s rights, pledges and provide all women with accessible, affordable, good quality sexual and reproductive healthcare and services.

“Maternal mortality, adolescent pregnancy and access to sexual and reproductive health are some of the important aspects of women’s health that have an impact on development.

“This press conference is to mark 2020 IWD, including a reflection on the progress and barriers towards the attainment of gender equality in Nigeria.

“Women are calling on the three tiers of government to fund, implement and ensure accountability of programmes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) – Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

“This is an important goal for us to achieve,” she said.

The president said the 2018 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reports that 6.9 per cent Nigerian women of reproductive age (15-49) were acutely malnourished while 3.8 per cent were severely malnourished.

According to her, base on the survey, the maternal mortality ratio for seven years period before the 2018 NDHS is estimated at 512 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

“More than half of women population (52 per cent) report at least one problem accessing healthcare for themselves,” he said.

The president however said that to meet women’s healthcare needs, barriers to achieving gender equality should be addressed.

She identified lack of women’s education, illiteracy, lack of mentorship of younger generation, harmful traditional practices, early marriage, gender-based violence and negligence of women with special needs as some barriers to inequality in women’s health.

She further decried the poor representation of women in leadership positions in government including health management and primary healthcare boards, among others.

Shoda said that that if those barriers were removed by fully funding, implementing and ensuring accountability, every Nigerian woman would have access to affordable and qualitative healthcare.

She therefore urged all tiers of government to fund, strengthen and ensure accountability of the National and State Primary Health Care Boards.

She also advised government to ensure provision of minimum service package in all primary healthcare centres.

“National Assembly should pass laws on the 35 per cent affirmative action for women involvement and inclusion in governance.

”The government should also provide training to all skilled birth attendants on essential newborn care and provide appropriate equipment.

“All state governments should ensure and enforce the six months maternity leave with full pay for women after delivery of their babies,” she said. (NAN)

FUA/ACA/MST

Edited by Chidinma Agu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola