As our nation continues in the quest to accelerate action and strives for gender parity, we must adopt innovative strategies and use cutting-edge approaches focusing on several key areas: legislative reforms, economic empowerment, education, and health care, recognising that family planning is a critical tool for empowering women, innovative policies to protect women’s rights, social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) campaigns, and enhancement of men’s involvement are imperatives for collective action.
First, studies have shown that in fragile and conflict-affected settings, gender-specific interventions positively affect women’s empowerment and gender equality. Thus, interventions, such as asset transfers and cash transfers, should be used to increase women’s access to assets and income.
However, it is crucial to address the lack of trickle-down effects on broader empowerment outcomes, including decision-making processes at household and community levels. This calls for ‘dusting’ and implementation of Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy developed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Nigerian government, to address the barriers to women’s economic empowerment, including patriarchy and lack of access to resources.
Furthermore, initiatives like the Women’s Right to Property Initiative (WRPI) launched in 2017, which seeks to enhance women’s access to land and property through legal reforms and education and has been instrumental in increasing women’s participation in land administration and decision-making processes, should be revived. The YouWin Programme, which has shown promise by enhancing women’s access to land, finance and markets, should be scaled up and replicated across different sectors.
Similarly, implementing scholarship programmes, mentorship initiatives, and vocational training can empower girls and women economically and educationally. These programmes enhance employability and foster a sense of community and collective empowerment. Hence, Public Works and Women/Youth Empowerment Scheme, a programme aimed at empowering women and youth through public works projects, by providing them with economic opportunities and skills development (Federal Government of Nigeria) should be revived.
Also, it is important to address the gender gap in education and the provision of comprehensive reproductive health services. This is against the backdrop that family planning is a critical tool for advancing women’s rights and gender equality in Nigeria because it enables women to control their reproductive health, which empowers them to pursue and complete their education, participate in the workforce and contribute meaningfully to society.
As such, women’s access to quality health care services does not only benefit individual women but also has broader societal impacts because women who have access to quality health care and adopt family planning are more likely to complete their education and engage in economic activities, thereby contributing to national development; not discounting the fact that family planning reduces maternal and infant mortality rates, improving overall health outcomes for women and children.
Specifically, in marginalised communities and hard-to-reach areas, technological innovations can play a pivotal role in promoting gender equality. Digital platforms and mobile technologies such as mobile banking and e-learning platforms can be leveraged to facilitate access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities for women, provided the government addresses the digital divide issue. We have a good example in initiatives like the Audiopedia project, which uses audio recordings to disseminate information on women’s health and rights in local languages, and this can be scaled up to cover a broader range of topics related to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Beyond policy reforms and implementation, there must be a fundamental shift in societal attitudes and behaviours, and social and behavioural change communication strategies can be used to increase awareness and promote gender equality, challenge gender stereotypes and promote positive behaviours to accelerate action towards achieving a more equitable society for all.
Men can serve as powerful advocates for gender equality, using their positions to influence policy and societal attitudes. They must be active allies in this journey, challenging patriarchal norms and, advocating for women’s rights and promoting gender equality, particularly laws that protect women from discrimination and violence promote equal access to education and employment. In addition, men can help dismantle gender stereotypes by promoting equal roles and responsibilities within families and communities.
Similarly, implementing the Positive Deviance approach, which identifies and amplifies successful behaviours within communities, can lead to significant social change needed to achieve gender parity.
Furthermore, community engagement is imperative because involving traditional and religious leaders and civil society organisations is vital for promoting gender equality at the grassroots level. Their influence can be instrumental in changing societal attitudes. Engaging traditional and religious leaders in gender equality efforts can help dismantle harmful traditional practices and promote cultural acceptance of gender equality.
So, all stakeholders – government, civil society and individuals must work together to create a society where women and girls enjoy equal rights and opportunities. In particular, men should join the fight for a more equitable future, while communities should embrace gender equality as a societal imperative.
Together, we can create a Nigeria where women are not just seen but empowered, where girls are not just educated but leaders, and where gender equality is not just a dream but a reality.
