The development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, and members of the High-Level Advisory Council on Women and Girls Economic Empowerment met in Abuja to discuss ways to ensure the economic empowerment of Nigerian women.
In 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the advisory council to focus on driving inclusivity and women’s economic empowerment, particularly regarding economic access, sustainable livelihoods, and education for women and girls.
The meeting, which was organised by the Minister of Women Affairs, Bar Uju Kennedy, had in attendance the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Alhaji Atiku Bugudu, and members of the high-level Council, including the Executive Director of the development Research and Projects Centre, Dr Judith-Ann Walker.
Speaking at the meeting, Bagudu commended Nigerian women for their hard work and resilience and noted that one of President Tinubu’s agendas, the Renewed Hope agenda, is women’s inclusiveness and empowerment.
“Across the country, we have hardworking women. In particular, women who are able, willing, and wake up as early as 2 a.m. to participate in a trade, go to the farm, smoke fish, or roast something by the roadside. Tragically, however, some do not know this story; or a woman carries a calabash, walking nine kilometres to a market. This story of our very resilient and hardworking populace needs to be told, and they need to be supported.
“It is for us to imagine, to be innovative, to create, and to ensure that we support them by linking their efforts, opportunities, and returns. Only then can we have an equitable and prosperous society. We are not playing the blame game for what has happened in the past. We are confronting our reality. We are not where we want to be; we want prosperity to be equitably shared. We want to reward effort and provide opportunities.
“We are making choices that may seem tough now, but we believe they will lead to a better future for our young people, our women, and our men,” he stated.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, called for actionable plans for women’s empowerment and inclusiveness.
“One of the reasons this meeting was called is that we are already tired of talking with no action. We are fed up with policies upon policies and no results. So, I am not interested in any more policies. I am interested in solving our problems.
“This high-ranking committee that we have gathered today is to follow new narratives so that these women will start receiving what they deserve immediately. We are moving towards developing women, including providing machines for bitter leaf, which we have placed in markets, and partnering with the Nigerian Traders Association to manage these machines.
“We are calling on non-governmental organisations to change their priorities. We are calling on the media to change their priorities. One of the things this meeting will do for us is to start examining these issues, putting checks in place, and ensuring the right actions are taken. If we don’t do this, we are wasting our time. If we channel our priorities correctly, we will find that we are part of the problem, not just the government, governors, or the president,” she emphasised.
For her part, the Executive Director of the dRPC, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, commended Kennedy-Ohanenye for demonstrating a commitment to leveraging existing consultative institutions and structures to address the problems, challenges, and barriers faced by many women in Nigeria.
“The dRPC has been working towards the domestication of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy in Nigeria, and we thank the Minister and the staff of the Ministry for supporting us in this process.
“As we discuss and move into the sessions, I would like to emphasise that there is a lot of conversation about practical aspects and strategies for implementing the WEE policy and empowering women in Nigeria. We support the Minister’s vision.
“As an organisation working in this space, we endorse the fact that policies should capture and represent practical actions that empower women, both in this space and in their communities,” Walker said.
