By Patience Aliyu
THE FEDERAL Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development says it will harmonise all gender policies in the country towards improving the welfare of Nigerian women.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Gabriel Aduda, disclosed this at the ongoing 24th Regular National Delegates Conference of the Council of Women on Thursday in Jos.
He said that government is determined to develop policies and programmes that would promote economic empowerment among women in the country.
Aduda explained that the move was necessary insisting that the disjointed programmes had not yielded the desired results.
He decried that existing policies had not advanced the cause of women, led a large number of women into abject poverty.
“This is why government is determined to have coordinated policies with programmes that are targeted at empowering women in the country.
“Government is determined to have the National Policy on Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE), particularly in states.
“The core sectorial interventions in the WEE policy document covers agriculture, entrepreneurship, traditional labour market, industries, education, skill development, among others,” he said.
Aduda explained that the ongoing conference would seek ways of addressing the challenges preventing states from domesticating the WEE policy.
Speaking at the event, Fifehan Osikanlu, the Chief Executive Officer, Eden Venture Group, said that rigorous awareness and advocacy on the domestication of the WEE policy would improve the capacity of more women in the society.
She maintained that the policy would arm the women with the requisite knowledge toward making decisions that would directly impact on their lives and the community. “This policy targets gender gaps that prevent women from reaching their full potential, particularly in financial inclusion, education, digital access and economic participation,” she said. (NAN)
