FG Promises to Work on Land Rights for Women

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government has promised to continue to advocate for effective implementation of land rights for women in the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Ibrahim Yusuf gave the assurance at the commemoration of the 2023 World Desertification and Drought Day.

The day was marked under the theme: “Her Land Her Right: Advancing Gender  Equality and Land Restoration Goals.”

Yusuf, represented by the Director Department of Drought and Desertification Management in the ministry, Mrs Mable Okirigho-Emmanuel, said that stakeholders in the environmental sector should ensure that women have equal rights in access to land in law and practice.

He said he would help to prevent private corporations and investors, powerful local elites, multilateral organisations, and family members from discriminating against women in their rights to access, use, inherit, control, and own land.

He said: “I Would like to extend to all of you a cordial welcome on this occasion of the celebration of World Desertification and Drought Day. Today, as emphasis the world over is on equality, fairness and justice.

He noted that the 2023 World Desertification and Drought Day with theme: “Her Land. Her Right” is very gladdening and heart-warming as it is driven by the urgency of a global rush for land and extracted resources and unprecedented urbanisation and hastened by the growing impact of climate change and frequency of natural disasters, women have been at the centre of human rights violations worldwide regarding their rights and access to land.”

While noting that women’s land rights are important to democracy, peace, justice, sustainable development and security for all, the permanent secretary insisted that securing land rights for women would set off powerful, continued ripple effects that would go a long way toward realizing gender equality and a range of critical SDGs and human rights.

He added that women are major actors in the global efforts to reduce and reverse land degradation. “Women are more harshly affected by land tenure insecurity due to direct and indirect discriminatory laws and practices at the national, community and family level from large-scale land acquisitions that displaces communities without due compensation, to the encroachment of extractive industries on indigenous and communal lands, to the unplanned urbanization that forcibly evicts people living in informal settlements.”

At the event which include a road walk and tree planting, FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Adesola Olusade, said deliberate efforts was being made by the FCT to ensure that it plant trees within its environment to promote an environment where the temperature can be regulated.

He said: “Today is very significant for us, it is the International Day for Desertification and Drought control, it is set aside by the United Nations to raise consciousness on the damaging and deleterious effects of desertification and drought which is ravaging the continent.

“Now, deliberate efforts is being made on this day, to ensure that we plant trees within our environment to promote an environment where the temperature can be regulated,” Olusade explained.

Director, Parks and Recreation Centre FCT, Mr Isaiah Ukpanah said that the Department of Parks and Recreation have been planting trees to ensure that the environment is green

He said: “You can really see the whole environment of Abuja is quite great and that’s the effort of this department. we know that Abuja is a green city, trees are being planted daily to accommodate more buildings.”