The Executive Director, Invictus Africa, Ms. Bukky Shonibare addressing participants at the launch. Photo: Azizatu Sani/Radio Nigeria.
A Non-Governmental Oragnaization, Invictus Africa in collaboration with BudgIT Foundation have launched a Womanity Index platform that will conduct annual ranking and report on the state of gender equality at the subnational levels.
The Executive Director, Invictus Africa, Ms. Bukky Shonibare made this known in Abuja on Wednesday at a media Conference on the first edition of the Womanity Index, with a view to addressing subnational Governments’ commitments towards gender-based violence, prevention and response.
She said the Womanity Index report will assist state and local governments understand the context, identify gaps as well as challenges peculiar them while addressing gender based violence.
“The Womanity Index is novel as it helps subnational governments, as primary duty bearers know their performance in their efforts to prevent and respond to GB in their states, the gaps and challenges that impede their performance, and the specific actionable recommendations which, when implemented, will result in ensuring laws and policies guarantee GB prevention, effective support systems, and allocation of adequate budget and spending to address gender-based violence.” Ms. Shonibare said.
Also, the Senior Project Officer, Nigeria Governor Forum, World Bank SFTAS programme, Mr. Folarin Johnson said the Womanity Index report was fundamental to enable government measure efforts geared towards addressing the rate of gender-based violence in their various states.
The Womanity Index ranking and report will be carried in three west Africa Countries of Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal, and will focus on key areas affecting women and girls, such as women’s health, girl child education, women’s economic empowerment and women’s political representation.
Reporting by Azizatu Sani; Editing by Chinasa Ossai and Annabel Nwachukwu