UN, FG, Wife, Others to Imortalise Osotimehin

The Federal Government, United Nations (UN), family members as other stakeholders in health and development community have paid final tribute to the late Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Under-Secretary-General of UN, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin.

In his memorial service yesterday at the UN House Abuja, Osetimehin was honoured as a man with undying zeal for emancipation and empowerment of women and girls.

The tribute by the UN Resident Coordinators described that former Minister of Health as embodiment of all the values of the UN, since its creation in 1945, from the ashes of war and human suffering. According to the Coordinators, O se time hi nd edi- cat ed his life to serving humanity as a Medical Doctor, a Public Servant, a Diploma tan dan advocate for equity, justice and fairness to all, ir respective of sex, gender, race, tribe, age or status.

Part of the tribute read: "He saw himself as that child in a mother's womb who needs the mother for nurturing, care and support at birth. That is why he committed himself to ensuring that no woman should die while giving life, or discriminated against, for just being a woman.

"In Ba batu nd e' s own words ,' We are united by our common aspirations to reduce discrimination against women. Despite all our progress, this discrimination is manifest daily in violence, trafficking, female genital mutilation, maternal death and morbidity, a persistent gender wage gap, the double burden of work and family, and the poverty of older women.”