Nigerian diplomat, Amb. Peters Emuze, has congratulated Nigeria’s candidate, Mrs Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, on her election to the UN Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Eghobamien-Mshelia was elected in a keenly-contested election, held at the UN headquarters, New York, on Thursday.
Eghobamien-Mshelia, elected to fill one of the 12 vacant positions, scored 137 out of the 187 votes and she would serve for four years, beginning from 2023.
CEDAW is the body of 23 independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
“I have no doubt that Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia will bring her experience to bear on the work of the committee,” Emuze said.
Emuze, had in April, won an election to retain Nigeria’s seat to serve for another four years in the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UNCESCR), from 2023 to 2026.
UNCESCR is the body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its States Parties.
The envoy also commended Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, on single-handedly making it possible for Nigeria’s election into both the UNCESCR and CEDAW.
“Kudos to him and his election officers for a job well done. Congratulations to Nigeria,” he said.
Eghobamien-Mshelia’s vision is to protect women’s rights through digital and multi-sector response to gender- based violence and promote women in leadership in public and private sectors.
She had served as a member of CEDAW Committee in 2018 to fill the void occasioned by the demise of Nigeria’s representative.
While serving, she set up the CEDAW Hub as a virtual support tool to enhance understanding of CEDAW among stakeholders for the two years.
More than 100 grassroots women organizations had been trained and are assessing the hub till date.
