Zainab Shittu, Founder of Muslimah Connect, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has identified entrepreneurship for women as a major way forward for Nigeria.
She made the assertion at an entrepreneurial development programme organised for Muslim women by Muslimah Connect.
The event held at the Ndubisi Kanu Park, Alausa in Ikeja.
According to her, unless women are empowered, they cannot play their roles well in economic, social, political, and environmental areas.
“The country will not achieve sustainable development with the recognition of only men’s participation in all these areas.
“The fact that women constitute about 49 per cent of the population of the country makes empowering them an active part of all development initiatives in the country,’’ she said.
She claimed that the use of women for economic development of the country was minimal.
She added that the place of women in the society was relegated to the background, making them to contribute little to the development of the country.
“Women’s rights are not properly being protected in order for them to participate in various issues of their country.
“Moreover, women are highly affected by environmental problems, and less emphasis is given to their participation in protecting the environment,” she said.
She urged wealthy individuals and government to empower women so as to utilise thei potential to bring about sustainable development.
“Sustainable development is impossible without women empowerment; economic development, as one component of sustainable development, is unthinkable without the involvement of women,” the NGO founder said.
She said that active involvement of women in decision-making would help to foster the overall quality of governance.
“It will also boost accountability and transparency, reduce corruption and protect the interest of the marginalised sections of society,’’ she added.
