By Godwin Agia, Jalingo
The National Council for Women Affairs, Child Advancement and Social Development, Monday, began its 2026 National Summit in Jalingo, Taraba State, with a call for greater investment in families and the care economy.
Declaring the Pre-Summit Technical Session open, the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Imaan Ibrahim, who spoke on the theme, ‘Strengthening Families and Advancing the Care Economy for Inclusive Development’, said advancing the care economy requires deliberate investments in policies, infrastructure and services that recognise, reduce, redistribute and reward care work, while creating decent jobs in the sector.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Esuabana Asanye, the minister described the theme as timely and strategic, explaining that strong families form the foundation of stable societies and sustainable national development.
According to her, the summit also highlights the critical role of the care economy, both paid and unpaid, in supporting households and driving inclusive economic growth, noting that care work has remained largely invisible despite its huge contribution to development.
The minister lamented that women and girls continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities, which limits their opportunities for education, employment, entrepreneurship and leadership.
She also called for stronger social protection systems to shield vulnerable households from poverty and shocks.
Hajia Imaan explained that the Pre-Summit represents the intellectual foundation of the Council, stating that memoranda submitted by MDAs at federal, state and local government levels would be analysed and either adopted or stepped down for implementation.
She added that recommendations from the deliberations would shape future plans, policies, projects and programmes, even as she said the 26th Council comes at a critical time to achieve SDGs 2030, AU Agenda 2063, ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the MTNDP 2026-2030 under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She noted that the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is prioritizing inclusive growth, human capital development, poverty reduction and social protection.
In his remarks, the Taraba State Governor , Dr Agbu Kefas, while welcoming the delegates, said the Tarabans were deeply honoured to host the important national gathering.
Represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Mrs. Mary Sinjen, Governor Agbu Kefas charged participants to make judicious use of the submit to improve themselves.
“Your presence here is a testament to our shared commitment to advancing the welfare, empowerment, protection, and development of women, children, and vulnerable persons across Nigeria.
“I encourage us to use this Council to exchange ideas, share experiences, strengthen partnerships, and develop practical solutions that will translate into meaningful impact in our communities,” he said.
