In continuation of its enlightening program amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the centre for information technology and development (CITAD) has today , the 30th of April, 2020 held its 11th twitter chat with a good governance advocate, and women and girls rights specialist, Mrs. Ene Obi, country Director of Action Aid Nigeria. The twitter chat is part of the Centre for Information Technology and Development efforts in helping the fight against the deadly coronavirus virus in the country which is being held twice every week. In the twitter chat, CITAD uses to invite great personalities from different professions to come and interact with people in the hope of finding solutions to many problems associated with pandemic.

 

This week the chat focuses on the needs of women and girls palliatives in this lockdown, the guest started by explaining the needs of women and girls which to her are practical needs such as food, nutritional supports for infants and children and sanitary. She stated that a lockdown may not be prepared for and in a situation where you have many homes below the poverty line, it becomes critical and challenging for them.

 

Mrs. Obi further explain that Palliatives from what she have seen so far has not targeted women and girls except may be the food items, but other needs are not being captured. In her words “it is important to note that women are still having babies and girls still continue with their monthly periods. No matter what, that is humanity in display”.

 

In responding to a question about the increase of domestic violence during this lockdown, she advised that “it is important to focus on practical needs and strategic needs of women and girls such as protection services. This includes shelter, medicals including psychosocial support services in order to address the interconnection of the lockdown and gender based violence”.

 

During the interaction, the guest took her time to explain the challenges of women and girls during this lockdown and the way forward, she also responded to questions asked by the participants.

Below are some of the questions and comments from the chat:

 

@ICTAdvocates  First of all Ms,what are the needs of women and girls in the lockdown palliative?

 

@ene_obi replying to @ICTAdvocates A lockdown may not be prepared for and in a situation were you have many homes below the poverty line, it becomes critical.

@ICTAdvocates replying to @ene_obi Again are there specific needs of women and girls that palliative measures should beaddressing in this lockdown season,

@ene_obi replying to  @ICTAdvocates There are practical needs such as food, nutritional supports for infants and children/ sanitary including wash. These are essential and critical needs of women and girls

 

 

@ene_obi Palliatives from what I have seen so far has not targeted women and girls except may the food items but not the other. It is important to note women are still having children, girls continue with the monthly periods no matter what, that is humanity in display.

 

@ibrahimsulaiman replying to  @ene_obi

This is serious. Government and other stakeholders should pay much attention to the plight of women in order to be able to addressed this problem.

 

@sanibalashehuka replying to@ene_obi O may God! as a mother an activist and advocate, what do you suggest to the humanitarian minister to do more to women and girls child, being she too is a women? does women ignore women misery and suffering? wish you all the best.

 

@ene_obi replying to @ sanibalashehuka: Women and girls need to be consulted on what they need. This implies doing a rapid assessment of what they need. Gender needs should be addressed. Women and girls are traditional bearers of the burden of the home but their voices are hardly heard in planning

 

@mukhtars_s replying to @ene_obi Ma pls what do you think will help to achieve the efficient and equitable distribution of relief packages to these vulnerable Nigerians especially Women and girls.

 

@ene_obi Replying to @SANIBALASHEHUKA@ICTAdvocates top of the issues are non inclusion of the Ministry of Women Affairs at the COVID-19 Task Force, at the community response, LGA, states and at the national levels

 

@Mukhtars_s replying to @ene_ob i:. So far, the distribution of palliatives have not created desired meaningful impact on the livelihoods of the targeted poor masses.

@ene_obiReplying to  @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocates and 6 others Ali, it is important to listen to the women and girls in the house. They know what they need but without asking them you can provide the wrong things. It is also not true in many homes that it is only men that are shouldering the responsibilities.

@salma replying to@ene_obi, what is so far your assessment of the concerns of women and girls in this lockdown moment? @a_sabo12 @ICTAdvocatesand 6 others

 

@ene_obi Plan with the household and learn to listen within the household. It is important to discuss and have inclusion in deciding not only because you have but value their unpaid care work at the home level @SANIBALASHEHUKA @ICTAdvocates  and 6 others

 

@ene_obi In the circumstances, she is doing the best that she can. We would encourage her to take into account the needs of women and girls. That is why in the humanitarian response of ActionAid Nigeria, we work with women headed household and take Ministry

Replying to @SANIBALASHEHUKA@ICTAdvocates and 6 others

 

@ene_obi Their needs usually is the needs of their families. We encourage those at the state levels to also take these needs into consideration in their work on palliatives. The Government should also provide the necessary resource to enhance the work of the Ministry

 

@SANIBALASHEHUKA I think the nation is still waiting for the palliatives. Some states are trying and we see rice moving to states but what is the real government plan on the palliatives, we are yet to  that Ene Obi @ene_obi They need the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and at the state levels as well

 

@SANIBALASHEHUKA to @ene_obi  Ma, you have rise many important issues that women and girls are left out during the planning stage and many stages of policy cycles, agencies such as women affairs, statistic bureau to just mention but a few. can the CSOs get in to Assist at both FG, States and LG? it may help!

 

@ene_obi to @sanibala: They need the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and at the state levels as well

 

@ene_obi to @ mukhtar: The programme was started in 2016 by the present government. The Government needs to come out with clear programmes for the people and we need to include the needs of women at the rural areas and the urban poor

 

@ene_obi to @mukhar: We must distinguish between the National Social Investment Programme which is now under the Ministry of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development. This includes the cash transfer, it is not a COVID-19 palliatives

 

@ene_obi to @ICTAdvocatesThey urgently need sanitary supplies along everything that is been distributed. ActionAid and CITAD is working together in some communities. Take all that has been suggested and ensure that those needs are into the decisions

 

@ene_obi Replying to @ICTAdvocates@YZYau and 10 others Families and the Government at all levels need to be more sensitive about the needs of women and girls and take that consideration into planning for emergencies and long term planning as well. Their participation and inclusion is as important

 

 

@ooomiiiii to @ene_obi During the town hall meeting AIT hosted, the minister of humanitarian

@Sadiya_farouq said they are collaborating with @ActionAidNG to ensure transparency in the distribution of the pallaitives, In what way has Actionaid collaborated with federal government?

 

@ene_obi Replying to @ooomiiiii and @ICTAdvocates Education of the girl child and continuous education of women is key to their development and their contribution to national development.

 

@ene_obi, we would like to please end with recommendations regarding catering foe women and girls concerns in the palliative measures, and generally outside of the palliatives, that perhaps include roles of different stakeholders in the society @YZYau@Mairo_Ado@HariraWak@SANIBALASHEHUKA

 

Replying to @ene_obi @ICTAdvocates and 6 otherswe really enjoy, this tweeter Chat and learn a lot there in, we wish you all the best

@ene_obi in your day to day undertaking and i will close this little one third finish statement by saying we love you, God Loves You and God Bless You.

@YZYau @ICTAdvocates bye. till next tweet.

 

@ene_obi Replying to  @ICTAdvocates@YZYau and 10 others Women farmers need farm inputs such as fertilizers and seedlings. They need the support of government to continue production and sustain food security for the country

@ene_obiReplying  to @ICTAdvocates @YZYau and 5 others Poverty needs to be further addressed. Many women cannot feed their family. Majority of Nigerians are daily earners, cutting that creates untold suffering as many men are unable to feed their families, similarly, women who are daily earners are at a loss

 

@ene_obi Replying to @ChiromaHope @ICTAdvocates and 3 others It will be nice if you can start from your community, the culture of silence is negating what efforts people are putting in. If it is somebody’s daughter today, it can be your daughter tomorrow. If you do not protect the girl today, what would happen to yours

 

@ICTAdvocates It has really been such a great and beneficial discourse by @ene_obi Country Director of @ActionAidNG, we thank you very much for the insightful talk, #staysafe Ma. We also thank everyone for the robust participation. See you again for another chat next week @YZYau @HariraWakili