Nigeria unveils gender strategy in steel industry
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a gender strategy in the steel industry. The move aims at fostering diversity, empowering women, and ensuring the sustainability of Nigeria’s mining and steel sectors.
The strategy was introduced by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development alongside the Women In Mining In Nigeria (WIMIN).According to Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake the moral and strategic significance of promoting gender equality underscores the understanding that diversity drives innovation and enhances productivity, contributing to sustainable development.
Gender strategy
Recognizing the invaluable contributions of women to the success and growth of the mining industry is crucial, and highlighting their talents, expertise, and perspectives reinforces the importance of inclusivity. The acknowledgment of past biases and inequalities against women in the sector, coupled with the government’s commitment to addressing these issues through proactive measures, demonstrates a genuine effort towards fostering inclusivity and empowerment. The involvement of consultancy firms like N & G Consulting Firm Ltd in developing the gender strategy signifies a structured approach towards tackling gender disparities and promoting inclusivity within the mining and steel sectors.
National President of Women In Mining In Nigeria (WIMIN), Engineer Janet Adeyemi said the launch is beacon of hope and a call for collective action emphasizes the transformative potential of the strategy in mobilizing stakeholders and driving meaningful change towards gender inclusivity and empowerment in the mining sector.
On her part, Permanent secretary of the ministries of Solid Minerals Development and Steel Development, Dr. Mary Ogbe made a call for industry players to remain steadfast in implementing the gender strategy reflects the need for continued commitment to ensuring an equitable and inclusive mining sector. Likewise, Project coordinator of MinDiver, Engineer Sellim Salam ‘s emphasis on engaging consultancy firms for gender studies and strategy development highlighted the importance of data-driven approaches in uplifting women in the sector.
