States’ Commissioners of women Affairs have met yesterday in Abuja, to formulate strategy for downscaling the National Women’s Economic Empowerment, (WEE), Policy to the grassroots.
At a two-day meeting organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS), with the support of the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Kennedy, called on governments at the federal and sub-national to ensure domestication of the policy.
She said invest in economic growth and development of women will ensure that access to finance and equipment are provided at community, local, and zonal levels to minimise poverty and reduce the suffering of women in Nigeria.
“We must be practical in our approach and give Nigerian women the opportunities they need to grow. Opportunities such as machines and equipment, processing opportunities, finances and market access’’ She said.
The Minister disclosed that 15 states have so far been provided adequate facilities for producing and processing rice and other agricultural output as part of the federal government’s efforts to boost food security and reduce poverty amongst women.
Executive Director, dRPC Nigeria, Dr Judith-Ann-Walker, said the meeting on the domestication of the National WEE Policy is a continuation and a culmination of the dRPC’s work with NIPSS on WEE.
She said “This new collaboration with NIPSS and the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs will take place over the next four years and will focus on implementing the WEE policy at the sub-national level.”
She revealed that the domestication process will start with the first cluster of 8 states, and in the coming months, eight more states will be selected to support as they domesticate the National WEE policy.
The Director-General, NIPSS, Prof Ayo Omotayo, disclosed that the National WEE policy document can completely transform women’s economic status and allow their active participation in the policy process and productive sectors of Nigeria.
‘’This, therefore, presupposes the need for a collective effort of all critical stakeholders to ensure that the goals of WEE are attained.
“It is our sincere hope that through this Forum, stakeholders will engage in meaningful and effective conversations for collective action for the domestication of the WEE programme at the sub-national levels.’’ He said
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social welfare, Dr. Ini Idiakpan pointed that women empowerment is the major factor militatating against gender parity and inclusion globally.
Idiakpan who is also the Dean Commissioners of Women Affairs in Nigeria, said “If women must significant contribute to national development and get the parity and inclusion we are talking about, then we must address the poverty of the women.”
