State Commissioners of Women Affairs across the country are currently in Abuja for a two-day workshop on the domestication of the National Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy (WEE).
The workshop, organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs, aims to provide guidelines for the domestication of the policy in states.
WEE was launched in 2023 with the aim to streamline all gender policies to address disparities faced by women in accessing financial benefits and opportunities in various sectors.
The initiatives seek to enhance gender equality, reduce poverty, and coordinate efforts among development partners to promote women’s rights and empowerment in Nigeria. Also, the policy seeks to address Nigeria’s gender pay gap and women’s empowerment.
One year after its launch, most states are yet to domesticate the policy in their states. Under the federal system, states have to domesticate federal government policies for it to take effect.
The workshop for the domestication of the policy is ongoing at the Abuja Continental with commissioners and policymakers on gender in attendance.
PREMIUM TIMES is on the ground to provide live updates from the event.
10:30 a.m. The event has commenced with the recitation of the national anthem and pledge
The workshop is organised in collaboration with the development Research and Project Center (dRPC) and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).
The three facilitators are Umar Kawu, Moji Makanjuola and Musa Umar.
10:35 a.m. Mr Kawu commenced the workshop with brief introduction of some of the guests at the venue and establishment of protocols.
Moji Makanjuola, a journalist, highlighted the need for media visibility on gender inclusion and empowerment.
In her brief remarks, Ms Makanjuola emphasized the need for collaboration among all the major actors in the gender space.
She announced that organisers are optimistic that the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, is expected to be at the event. She subsequently invited Judith-Ann Walker of dRPC to deliver her remarks.
10:49am: The executive director of dRPC, Dr Judith Ann Walker, is speaking. She said the dRPC and NIPSS have worked together in partnerships for more two decades to address social issues which concern women and girls.
This partnership has produced 12 research materials, 17 high level meetings, and convened five policy dialogues with CSOs across the country.
She said this partnership led to the launch of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy in 2023 in collaboration with UNICEF.
She noted that the dRPC, along with NIPPS and the Ministry of Women Affairs, will partner to ensure the implementation of the WEE policy at all levels.
The organisation will be starting with a cohort of eight states, and in the coming months, another cohort will be selected and supported to domesticate the policy.
In her speech, the Director General of Maryam Babangida National Center for Women Development, Asabe Bashir, emphasized the need for the development of women and access to cheap credit.
Mrs Bashir was represented by Jumai Idonije, who delivered a prepared speech.
She stated that “women empowerment is not just morally imperative but economically imperative.”
11:03am: Mrs Bashir said Nigeria is the first African country to launch the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy (WEE) as a project.
She described the implementation of the WEE as an important initiative, noting that women’s empowerment is necessary for societal development.
“Women economic empowerment is not just a women issues, it is crucial for the overall development of the society and it is important to ensure that conversation around this is sustained,” she said.
11:26am: The Minster of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, arrives at the event.
Grace Obi-Okpabi, deputy director (Economic Growth), Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, lamented the lack of inclusion of women’s contributions to economic planning.
She said most time women’s issues are looked at through the prism of “handouts” instead of their economic contributions.
She noted that women, who constitute 49 per cent of the population, should be adequately captured for national planning.
11:33am: The Minister of Women Affairs said her ministry is working with women across the country to change the narratives and stereotypes against women.
“We have changed the narratives. Women have changed the narratives as well,” she said.
“There cannot be gender inclusion without the empowerment of women,” the minister said.
She said her ministry has commenced the distribution of empowerment packages to 15 states across the country.
The minister also called for action instead of meetings and unending talks without results.
She stated that the ministry now has a portal for the registration of women. According to her, 283,000 members have registered.
She said some states have not helped in registration, but acknowledged some states including; Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Ebonyi, Katsina and Ebonyi.
Women community groups should be registered with the ministry. The link for registration is on the ministry’s portal. Our money has been so diverted that we are killing ourselves and dying in hunger.”
Ayo Omotayo, the DG of NIPSS, called for meaningful and engaging conversations on women inclusion.
He pledged the support of NIPSS in the implementation of policy at the federal and state levels.
Mr Omotayo said there is a need for policymakers to be practical.
He lamented the low enrollment of women into the NIPSS course. According to him, women have 18 slots for the 2024 course, however, they currently have nine women.
11:44am: Mr Omotayo said any nation that prioritises the empowerment of women is on the path of development.
He said the institute believes the WEE policy has the ability to transform the situation of women in the country, and allow for the inclusion of more women in the country’s policy and decision making process.
He said the institute is dedicated to ensuring the domestication of the policy at grassroots level where women are excluded more.
11:56am: The Minister of Women Affairs, Ms Uju, exits the event after addressing participants.
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