By Patricia Amogu

 The Spanish Embassy has hosted a roundtable with government and private stakeholders on ‘Women’s Leadership in Biodiversity’ to promote women’s role in conservation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event on Tuesday focused on integrating gender perspectives, addressing gaps, and amplifying women’s voices in biodiversity conservation.

Mrs Olukanni Bosede, Head of the Wildlife and CITES Management Division, highlighted the government’s contributions to biodiversity conservation and its engagement with local communities.

She outlined the ministry’s strategies for biodiversity conservation across six technical departments, where women are actively involved in policy formulation and decision-making.

Olukanni cited initiatives like afforestation, climate-smart agriculture, wildlife conservation, and education as key elements of the government’s biodiversity efforts.

“The government also supports women through gender mainstreaming, capacity building, awareness campaigns, and agricultural engineering projects,” she added.

Ms. Cristina Martinez, an expert in sustainable urban development with the Biodiversity Foundation, discussed methodologies and strategies for gender inclusivity in conservation.

She noted that gender inequalities limit women’s roles and influence in biodiversity policy, reducing their potential benefits from conservation efforts.

Jana Lopez, a primatologist at Drill Ranch, an NGO in Cross River State,  stated the importance of educating communities on the benefits of women’s leadership in land stewardship.

She noted that while Nigeria is rich in biodiversity, it has one of the highest deforestation rates.

She emphasised the need for community support and a strong legal framework, such as the KM-GBD targets, to ensure effective wildlife conservation. (NAN) www.nannews.ng