The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohaneye, has conferred an award on the Development Research and Projects Center (dRPC) for its contribution to the development and launch of the women economic empowerment policy in the country.
At the awards ceremony held in Cross River State on Monday, the Minister noted that dRPC has also supported the ministry through the launch of the Women Economic Empowerment policy, launched shortly before the end of the previous administration.
”The recognition granted to dRPC-PAWED by the National Council on Women’s Affairs is a testament to their exceptional dedication and impact. It highlights the critical role of civil society organizations in driving positive change and transforming the lives of women in Nigeria. This recognition will no doubt inspire other organizations and stakeholders to support women economic empowerment initiatives across the country,” said Ms Ohaneye.
Responding, dRPC Project Director, Stanley Ukpai, who represented the Executive Director, Judith-Ann Walker, at the event, indicated the importance of women empowerment as an agenda in Nigeria’s development landscape.
He said the policy will address disparities, promote gender-inclusive economic growth and foster an enabling environment for women-owned businesses to thrive.
”Amid the formulation and implementation of the women economic empowerment policy, the dRPC and PAWED WECs played a pivotal role in supporting the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. This demonstrated their commitment to gender equality and women’s rights by actively engaging in advocacy to raise awareness about the importance of women’s economic empowerment among policymakers, civil society and focus groups.
“To strengthen the evidence base for policy formulation, PAWED provided its research on various aspects of women’s economic empowerment, analyzing the barriers women face in accessing credit, markets and business opportunities and providing valuable insights for policymakers. policymakers and stakeholders,” he said.
About the EEO policy
On May 25, the federal executive council (FEC) approved the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) policy to boost women’s participation in nation-building.
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Former Women’s Affairs Minister Pauline Tallen, who facilitated the launch of the policy, noted that it would recognize cross-cutting enablers such as women’s financial inclusion (WFI), literacy, digital innovation, literacy, access, home, workplace and community. support structures.
Tallen also said that the policy was initiated to bring women into the mainstream of the country’s financial plans and will boost gender equality, women empowerment and poverty reduction.