The progress made in the empowerment
of Nigerian women is the result of their male counterparts’
cooperation, Dora Akunyili, the Minister of Information and
Communications, has said during an interview in commemoration of the
2010 International Women’s Day.

According to Mrs. Akunyili, 15 years
after the Beijing Declaration, Nigerian women have closed ranks and can
now speak for themselves.

“I believe that in Nigeria, women have
a lot to celebrate because in those days women were not part of
decision making; women were not even heard in families but things have
changed.

“Now women are heard and respected in homes and they take part in
decision making in families, in institutions. And at the government
level, women have actually been part of governance in Nigeria and we
have been given a chance to be a part of the system at all levels,” she
said.