Nigeria Elected Into Board Of UN Women Agency

Nigeria has been elected to the 41- member executive board of the newly created UN agency on gender equality and women empowerment.

The 54 -member Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the six principal organs of the UN, elected the new board members on Wednesday in New York .

Basis of selection

The board members were chosen from the five regional groups at the UN and top financial contributors to the agency.

The 41 board members were selected on the following basis: 10 from Africa, 10 from Asia, 4 from Eastern Europe, 6 from Latin America and the Caribbean, 5 from Western Europe and 6 from contributing countries.

In the Africa group, Angola , Cape Verde , Congo , Côte d'Ivoire , Ethiopia , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Lesotho , Libya and Tanzania were elected.

The Council also elected Mexico , Norway , Saudi Arabia , Spain , United Kingdom and United States from among the contributing countries, for three-year terms beginning on November 10 .

Term of service of

The 35 members elected from the regional groups will serve two-year and three-years, beginning on November 10 , as determined by the drawing of lots.

Nigeria was chosen to serve a three-year term.

The new Board is expected to meet prior to the official establishment of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women on January 1 , 2011 .

The agency incorporates four old bodies

Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet heads the agency, which is a merger of four existing UN bodies; the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues, and the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW).

The new agency was established on July 2 by a unanimous vote of the General Assembly to oversee all of the world body's programmes aimed at promoting women's rights and their full participation in global affairs.

In carrying out its functions, UN Women will be working with an annual budget of at least 500 million Dollars – double the current combined resources of the four agencies it comprises.

Nigeria Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Mr. Bukun Onemola said the election of Nigeria was an indication that the country “must get it right on all issues pertaining to women.''

Nigeria is expected to name a competent candidate that will serve on the Board for the next three years.