Linus Ogbu
The Nasarawa State Network on Environment and Climate Justice (NASNECJ) has called on the state government to domesticate the National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change to address the challenges confronting women in the state.
The group made the call in during advocacy visit to the line Ministries, in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital.
Speaking at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hadiza Umar -Attah said the group was at the ministry to ask for the domestication of the Gender Action Plan in Nasarawa state to increase women participation in issues that affect them.
Umar- Attah pointed out that the gender action plan was created with specific elements including equal access to skill training, higher income, and financial stability.
She said: ” Women do not have equal access to education, employment, health care services, among others compared to the men in the society and what has even increased the marginalisation is the effects of climate change which has great negative impacts on women and girls.
“In recent time, there has been an increase in flooding in which many houses have been submerged by flooding and unfortunately women , girls and the people living with disabilities are the most affected when the disaster occurs.
“The impacts of climate change which is caused by our actions and inactions have exposed women and girls to violence, sexual abuses which leads to some of our girls dropping out of school due to those abuses,”.
Responding, the Director of Women Affairs at the Ministry, Matayashi Aselema said plans were already on underway to domesticate the action plan and solicited for the support of the group to enable them succeed.
Aselema, however, stated that the state had not made any budgetary provisions for 2023 and urged collaboration from relevant stakeholders to domesticate the plan.
Mr Emmanuel Envoh, NASNECJ team lead, in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, advocated for
the domestication of the Climate Change Act.
According to him, the Act seeks to achieve low greenhouse gas emissions, green and sustainable growth by providing the framework to set a target to reach net zero between 2050 and 2070.
Responding, Mr Yakubu Kwanta, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, said the ministry would work with the group to ensure that enabling laws and polices were put in place to mitigate climate change challenges in the state.
“This is a very difficult time for us Nasarawa state because a lot of deforestation is going on, we will work with you and use sensitisation and other means as you recommend to mitigate climate change impact in the state,” he said.
The group also visited the State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and solicited support for youth platforms such as the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Nigeria Youth Parliament, and the Nigerian Youth Congress, to raise awareness on climate change and its impacts.