We need 2.5m Engineers, Technicians to achieve SDGs – President UN Assembly

Tom Okpe, Abuja

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Maria Fernanda Espinonosa Graces has told Nigerian women that 2.5 million women Engineers and Technicians are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as men alone cannot make up the short falls.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the National Council for women Development ((NCWD) center where she was hosted by the Minister of women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aisha Abubakar during her visit to the country in an interactive section with Nigeria women with the theme “Role of Women and Girls in the Achievement of the SDGs, including sustaining peaceful societies”, she said:

“At the practical level, I was hugely encouraged to read about the role that the Association of Professional Women Engineers is playing to advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers for girls. This work is crucial.

According to UNESCO, we will need 2.5 million new engineers and technicians to achieve the SDGs on water and sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa. Men alone cannot make up this shortfall.

“I have made it a priority to meet with women politicians, civil society, private sector and the youth wherever I go because, quite simply, there is no way we will achieve our vision of a safer, fairer and more sustainable world without the full participation and leadership of women and girls”.

Graces, the first woman to head the UN General Assembly said four decades ago, women across the world celebrated the adoption of the convention on the elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women pointing that; “In 1995, we celebrated again – when the Beijing Platform for Action was agreed.

Five years later, we welcomed Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security and cheered the creation of a specific Millennium Development Goal on gender equality”.

She further commended Nigeria women saying; “It is fantastic that you have a female Senior Special Assistant to the President on the SDGs.

At the United Nations, another Nigerian woman, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is spearheading the Secretariat’s efforts on the Goals.

Women hold the Presidency of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. Women oversee all five UN regional commissions.

“But, dear friends, as you well know, this is only part of the picture. I am proud to be the fourth woman and first Latin American woman to hold the position of President of the General Assembly.

But it is also a sign of how much still needs to be done. It is still the case that women lag behind on virtually every SDG target.

And the gap is even greater for older women, for women with disabilities, for women in rural areas, and for women from minority and indigenous communities”.

She urged all women to continue to make the case for the full inclusion of women and girls in efforts to achieve the SDGs as it is not a difficult case to make.

In her welcome remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aisha Abubakar welcome Maria Fernanda to Nigeria saying;

“It is my hope that this visit will further stimulate greater partnership and collaboration between Nigeria and the United Nations organization as we strive to improve the status and welfare of the under privileged members of our society”.