The Newly elected National President of the National Council for Women Societies Nigeria (NCWS) Hajiya Lami Ahmed Lau has given the Nigerian Army a pat on the back in promoting gender and affirmative action for women through the Armed Force of Nigeria Gender Policy which seeks to among others, ensure 35% affirmative action for women.

The NCWS President gave the commendation on Thursday when she led members of the association on a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Farouk Yahaya at Army Headquarters Abuja.

She said the visit was aimed at strengthening the collaboration of the office of the Chief of Army Staff and by extension, the Nigerian Army with the women in Nigeria to ensure a more robust and holistic approach to addressing the multi-faceted security challenges that currently plagued our nation.

Hajiya Lami Ahmed Lau said, “I want to commend the Nigerian Army for taking the lead to promote gender and affirmative action for women through the Armed Force of Nigeria Gender Policy that was launched in 2021 which seeks to among others, ensure 35% affirmative action for women and achieve increased women involvements in recruitment and enlistment, training, retention, promotion, posting, operations, logistics, accommodation, budgeting, and institution of maternity and paternity leave for both men and women of Nigerian Armed rank forces. 

“This is indeed a bold step by the echelon of the Nigerian Armed Forces to promote gender mainstreaming in the nation’s armed forces. Sir, you will agree with me that a policy is only relevant to the extent of its implementation. This visit will offer us the opportunity to hear from you Sir on the steps the Army is currently taking to actualize this lofty vision by the full implementation of the Armed Force of Nigeria Gender Policy. 

“This is particularly important to us as NCWS because, the Council’s vision is built on ensuring gender inclusiveness and increased participation of women in decision-making processes. We believe the full implementation of the Policy will take care of the structural challenges that tend to militate against women’s advancement in the military as there have been reported cases where women were prevented from participating in combat duties and only restricted to the supportive aspect of the military such as welfare, human resource, personnel, logistics, and medical services. 

“We must move from policy to action by ensuring a gender culture in the Nigerian Army.

In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff Congratulated Hajiya Lami Lau for her election as the 15th President of National President of the National Council for Women Societies Nigeria (NCWS) while pledging to support the National Council since they are willing to work collaboratively with the Nigerian Army.

He assured the NCWS of full implementation of the Policy that will take care of the structural challenges that tend to militate against women’s advancement in the Nigerian  Army.

“We will move from policy to action by ensuring a gender culture in the Nigerian Army as our personnel will be abreast with the global best practices on gender issues”, he assured.