OVERVIEW:
The workshop was held 6th – 7th November, 2024 organized by the National Policy Association in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry Women Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation with partnership with Albright Stonebridge Group, DGA, NESG, PIC and had in attendance over 20 Community Based organisations and Women Focused Group.
It was strategically organized as stakeholders within the government (ministries, agencies and government owned initiatives), nonprofit sector and representatives of entreprises focused on women empowerment were present.
OBJECTIVE OF THE WORKSHOP:
To utilize a multi-stakeholder approach to adapt and develop a harmonized Women Economic Empowerment roadmap for Lagos State.
BACKGROUND
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and arguably the continent’s most symbolic and influential nation on the world stage. The country’s 211 million people– of which 101.6 million are women and girls–make it the most populous and most diverse. Given its strategic importance, Nigeria ought to score high on most development indices; the reverse is the case.
The National Bureau of Statistics’ MPI survey results showed that 133 million Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor. The World Bank estimates that close to, about 90 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty (on less than $1.902.15 per day)–and Nigerian women
account for 70 percent of that figure, even though they make up only 49.3 percent of the general population.
Successive Nigerian governments yearn to fully capture the country’s economic potential and deliver on its human development goals and targets, especially for the women who are increasingly recognized globally as the most dynamic force for the rapid growth of any country.https://www.policyvault.africa/policy/national-womens-economicempowerment-wee-policy-and-action-plan/
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE WEE POLICY AND ACTION PLAN
The National WEE Policy, launched in May 2023, serves as a roadmap for improving Women’s Economic Empowerment in Nigeria.
It aims to reduce gender inequality in accessing economic opportunities and resources, supporting women’s participation in the economy to drive national growth. For decades, women in Nigeria have lacked access to economic opportunity – quantitative data and, despite qualitative anecdotes reinforce this reality. Despite the tremendous progress made over the past few years, Nigerian women–especially in the north–still have much lower access to economic opportunity, capital, productive assets, and favourable workplace conditions than Nigerian men. These gendered gaps and barriers are not just anecdotal: they have real-world consequences and exist across the spectrum of measures and indices related to economic empowerment, power, and agency.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342737114_GENDER_INEQUALITY_AND_WOM EN_ECONOMIC_DEVELOPMENT_IN_NIGERIA
The National WEE Policy document identifies the current gender gaps and statistics were obtained in key areas as summarized below.
https://budgit.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Simplified-Version.pdf
As a Nigerian woman, these statistics are disturbing and show that beyond the PR women empowerment gets in Nigeria, so little progress has been made. Only 10% of landowners in Nigeria are women, which narrows down to the purchasing power of women and the society’s perception about land acquisition by women especially considering the 45-yearold Land Use Act that gives women equal rights to land ownership.
Without investment, gender equality will take nearly 300 years. This isn’t a heresy; it is a fact according to a UN report: UN report https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1126171
It is established that for any intervention to really work, there is need for support from the government. And beyond policy creation, implementation strategies, monitoring and evaluation system must be set to ensure that all agencies and parastatals responsible for driving this are performing optimally.
Most times several people would argue if there was a need to push for women’s empowerment, and is it not better to leave things as they are?
Below, is a detailed list of the reasons why the National Women Economic Empowerment Policy is important. These should be able to convince anyone that empowering women is not an option, it is a must do for every progressive country seeking growth.
IMPORTANCE OF THE NATIONAL WEE POLICY
- It is pertinent to understand that to attain SDG5 (Gender Equality) and pave way for economic growth in Nigeria, the WEE policy if properly implemented could accelerate progress.
It is so important that Judith Ann Walker, the Executive Director at the Development
Research and Projects Centre (Drpc) during her speech at the 2024 National Conference of the Nigerian Economic Society said;
The National Women Economic Empowerment Policy is Nigeria’s only policy instrument around which a strong economic case can be made for the targeting of vulnerable, at risk and disabled women as well as survivors of violence-againstwomen https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more–news/731961–why–nigeriashould–implement–her–wee–policy–experts.html
- The main goal of the National WEE Policy and Action Plan for 2023-2028 is to accelerate structural reforms and prioritize sector-specific interventions necessary to promote the full participation and success of women and girls in Nigeria’s dynamic economy. This would boost economic productivity as data gathered by the World Bank shows that females make up to 49.3% of the Nigerian population. Population, female (% of total population) – Nigeria | Data
- Finally, the WEE policy includes and prioritizes women in Policymaking and Program Design. PolicyVault.Africa | National Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy and Action Plan
OBJECTIVES AND ACTION PLAN
The long-term benefits of the National WEE Policy and Action Plan transcends beyond gender inclusion. A source from the World Bank shows that analysts predict that Nigeria’s GDP could increase by $229 billion over ten years if women participated in the workforce as much as men. Nigeria Development Update (NDU) It would improve the overall welfare of the Nigerian populace as shown below
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
The National WEE Policy is to be implemented across diverse sectors where there are evident gender gaps. The 5 pillars are.
- Agriculture
- Traditional Labour markets
- Entrepreneurship
- Emerging industries
- Education and skill acquisition
During the workshop, we were assigned to different groups where we brainstormed on how the National WEE Policy can be implemented in Lagos across the 5 pillars. We had stakeholders from the identified sectors who provided insight into current policies, and we collaborated on identifying strategies that could help to facilitate implementation and achievement of the policy goals.
BRAINSTORMING SESSION ON POLICY IMPLEMENTATION – WEE POLICY CO-CREATION WORKSHOP (DOMESTICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION)
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF W.TEC – MRS OREOLUWA LESI AT THE WEE POLICY CO-CREATION WORKSHOP LAGOS.
SAMPLE OF RESOURCES SHARED DURING THE WORKSHOP
COMMISSIONER, MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION, LAGOS STATE (CENTRE).
COMMISSIONER ADDRESSING ATTENDEES.
BRAINSTORMING SESSION ON IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR
BRIEFING OF EACH TEAM REPRESENTATIVE BEFORE THEIR PRESENTATION
W.TEC PROGRAMME COORDINATOR – BLESSED HAMED-MUSA REPRESENTING HER TEAM
For a more detailed breakdown on how the policy would be implemented across these five pillars, please go through the policy framework captured in PolicyVault.Africa | National Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy and Action Plan
FACTORS THAT CAN STALL THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WEE POLICY
With the highlighted risks, it is evident that most are internal (it is within the control of the Nigerian populace both government and private). Hence, if we are committed to its implementation, we would achieve it as a nation.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE WORKSHOP
The Lagos State government has demonstrated exemplary leadership in championing women and girls’ empowerment, inclusivity in the workplace, and the fight against genderbased violence. The state’s pioneering efforts to domesticate the Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy and create an inclusive framework are indeed commendable.
However, to ensure the effective implementation of the WEE Policy, there is a need for:
- Monitoring and Evaluation:
One major concern is the need for monitoring and evaluation across all governmental agencies to ensure effective implementation of policies. This includes training, advocacy, and periodic assessments to identify areas for improvement.
- Standard Operating Procedures:
Another issue is the halting of project implementations due to changes in administration. To address this, there’s a need for standard operating procedures and an independent body to ensure continuity and consistency in policy implementation.
- Training and Capacity Building:
Weak enforcement of laws and regulations is also a significant challenge. Advocacy efforts by government and non-governmental agencies are crucial, but enforcement agencies must also be equipped with training and standard operating procedures to handle related issues effectively.
- National Implementation:
Implementation of the WEE Policy across states and regions is also essential. It’s alarming that women and girls still face discrimination and social ills like child marriage, teen pregnancy, and gender-based violence. The National WEE Policy should be embraced by all Nigerian states, regardless of religion or ethnicity.
Ultimately, the success of the WEE Policy relies on citizens, businesses, and corporate bodies embracing and advocating for it. It’s a collective responsibility to promote women’s economic empowerment and create a more inclusive environment.
CONCLUSION
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) is a non-profit organization that has been advocating and working towards bridging the gender gap in STEM and has been operational since 2008 and has impacted over 52,000 women, girls and educators across 10 states with a vision to reach quarter of a million by 2030.
Organisations like W.TEC should be given the much-needed support to further push their interventions across different states of Nigeria. This could be through funding, donation of facilities and resources that improve the quality of work and facilitate impact.
Nigerian stakeholders and corporate bodies should be heavily invested in capacity building projects that provide long lasting impact instead of instant gratification and entertainment.
For more information about W.TEC, kindly check www.wteconline.org