The FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar has tasked women Non-governmental Organizations to participate in the governance of their immediate environment to avail them more opportunity to defend the rights of women and children.

The Minister gave this challenge last week, while receiving a delegation of the International Federation of Female Lawyers Association (FIDA) that paid him a courtesy call in his official residence, Life-Camp, Abuja.

The Minister assured that the FCT Administration would continue to work closely with all Non-Governmental Organizations that tend to work towards the restoration of human dignity and sacredness of human lives.

According to him, "Participation in governance is a right but not a privilege because God created all of us equal and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes us equal, regardless of our gender."

Dr. Modibbo commended FIDA for championing the cause of women and children who constitute the foundation of the society.

Dr. Modibbo revealed that about 110,000 pregnancies are recorded annually in the Federal Capital Territory, but lamented that about 10% of the conceptions are lost due pregnant related diseases.

He stated that the FCT Administration would continue to work closely with FIDA and support all its initiative, until the rights and dignity of women and children are restored.

The Minister remarked that the FCT Administration under him is gender sensitive and insisted that women would be encouraged so that they can be adequately represented at all levels of FCT Administration to have an input in decision making.

Dr. Modibbo approved a plot of land for the Association and urged them to venture into mass housing scheme for the benefit of its members.

Speaking earlier, the leader of delegation and Country Vice President, FIDA, Mrs. Ezinwa Okaroafor lauded the stance of the FCT Administration and that of the Federal Government on the principle of due process and the respect for the rule of law.

She praised the Minister for introducing free antenatal care scheme for pregnant women in the Federal Capital Territory; saying that child bearing is a national service, since there are some countries in the world that encourage women to bear children in order to increase their population.