The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, has described the appointment of Amina Mohammed as the Deputy Secretary-General of the UN as an inspiration for women and girls globally.
Chambas said this on the side line of the Opening Day for Gender, Women, Peace and Security in Abuja on Friday.
The UN Special Representative said that the appointment was also a call for African governments to implement policies aimed in empowering women in various positions of government.
Chambas said: “Amina Mohammed as the Deputy Secretary General of the UN, an African woman and Nigerian, I think this is meant to be an inspiration, a motivation to all young girls and women.
“We hope that our governments in West Africa will indeed implement the various affirmative action laws that they have adopted.
“We have commended the adoption of these action laws, but we need to see more women in leadership positions the time for rhetoric is over.
“This is a time we must actualise women’s representation in leadership positions and indeed in all aspects or works of life.”
Mohammed, Nigeria’s current Minister of Environment, served as UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the outgoing Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Post-2015 Development Planning.
She was instrumental in bringing about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals.
Before joining the UN, Mohammed worked for three successive administrations in Nigeria, serving as Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals.
She provided advice on issues including poverty, public sector reforms, sustainable development, and coordinating poverty reduction interventions.
She is also an Adjunct Professor in Development Practice at Columbia University, and serves on numerous international advisory boards and panels, including the UN Secretary-General’s high-level panel on Post-2015 Development Agenda.
Others include the Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for
Sustainable Development and the Global Development Programme of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Born in 1961, and educated in Nigeria and the UK, Mohammed is married and has six children.