Gender - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Tosin Kolade
Dec, Thu, 2024

Stakeholders seek review of gender policies on agricultural export

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By Felicia Imohimi

The Farmers Aggregators Initiative of Nigeria (FAIN), an NGO, and other stakeholders have called for a comprehensive review of existing gender policies and laws on agricultural export.

They made the call at a summit on Mainstreaming Gender in Agriculture organised by FAIN in Abuja.

The theme of the summit is “Mainstreaming Gender into the Agricultural Sector for Women and Youth Empowerment: Developing a Roadmap for Understanding Gender Policy and Export Trade in Line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).’’

Mr Cornelius Agenyi, Chief Executive Officer, FAIN, said the summit was aimed at enhancing gender mainstreaming within agriculture by promoting the active participation of women and youths, addressing vital sectoral issues and contributing to the fight against food insecurity.

Agenyi called for the collaboration of government, international organisations and private sector to ensure that gender-sensitive policies were not just in place but effectively implemented.

He specifically urged them to prioritise land rights, access to finance and equal representation in leadership roles.

According to him, the summit will also provide a platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences and discussing best practices.

He said that FAIN was committed to empowering women and youth through modern agricultural practices that fostered sustainable livelihoods, thereby aligning with SDGs 1, 2 and 5.

Agenyi said that the initiative collaborated with more than 41 MDAs and government agencies and was endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as well as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

“Mainstreaming gender was more than just a policy, but a mindset, an approach that seeks to remove barriers and create an environment where both women and men could contribute equitably to agricultural development.

“Incorporating gender perspectives in agricultural business is not only a matter of justice; it is a strategic economic move.

“Studies have shown that when women have equal access to resources; they invest their earnings in their families, communities and economy, fostering greater growth and development.

“By empowering women in agriculture, we unlock untapped potential that drives productivity, innovation and sustainable development,” he said.

Col. Abdulmumini Aminu(retired), Chairman, Board of Trustees, FAIN, called for decisive actions towards visible support for Nigerian women to succeed in agricultural sector.

Aminu, who was represented by Mrs Modupe Jemibewon, Secretary to the board, identified funding as a major challenge to efforts in boosting women farmers’ participation in agriculture.

He, however, urged President Bola Tinubu to take up the challenge of maintaining gender into agricultural business in line with the renewed hope agenda.

Mrs Folashade Joseph, Managing Director, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), identified women as indispensable to achieving food security, yet their potential remained underutilised due to systemic barriers.

According to her, empowering women societies can only be achieved by improving food security and addressing broader goals of poverty reduction, gender equality and sustainable development.

She listed some objective areas towards SDGs as improved or enhanced stakeholders understanding of gender policies and their impact on agriculture and export trade as well as promoting gender equality and increased women participation.

Joseph, however, said there was need to conduct a comprehensive review of existing gender policies and laws relating to agriculture and trade.

“In viewing gender policy, there is need for stakeholders’ engagement including government officials, farmers, exporters, women and youth to raise awareness and gather input; to provide tracing and capacity building programmes for stakeholders on gender sensitive agriculture and export trade practices,” she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Tosin Kolade
Nov, Tue, 2024

Gender

Minister urges action to protect rights, dignity of women, girls

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By Justina Auta

The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has stressed the need for deliberate action to protect the rights, safety and dignity of women and girls across the country.

She made the call at the launch of the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Abuja on Monday with the theme ‘Unite Campaign: Towards Beijing to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls’.

The minister, who described GBV as a societal issue and an impediment to development, expressed concern over the statistics in the country.

She said the statistics show women and girls at great risk, stressing that “the growing trend represents gross violation of human rights and undermines the very fabric of the society, thereby preventing women and girls from achieving their full potential.

“Gender-based violence is not just a women’s issue; it is a societal issue, a human rights issue, and an impediment to our nation’s development.

“The statistics before us on GBV in Nigeria remains deeply troubling. Even as we embark on this campaign today, a little child has just violated, a woman has just been abused, a young girl’s life is at risk somewhere in a community, all for no just cause.

“Current reports indicate that 30 per cent of Nigerian women and girls aged between 15 and 49 years have experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives.

“This violence occurs not only in homes, but extends to schools, workplaces and communities. Violence does not know any tribe nor creed, it cuts across social and economic boundaries. It affects both young and old”.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, therefore, urged the media to amplify the voices of survivors, highlight success stories and hold perpetrators accountable, as well as educate the public against such act.

She said the campaign would focus on community mobilisation and education to challenge harmful cultural norms, stereotypes and practices that perpetuate violence.

“We will continuously engage traditional and religious leaders as community gate keepers,” she added.

Ms Beatrice Eyong, the Country Representative of UN Women to Nigeria and ECOWAS, also stressed the need for renewed efforts toward addressing gender inequality and violence against women and girls.

Eyong said 42 per cent of women were financially excluded, with women holding less than five per cent of elective positions.

According to her, this imposes significant economic loss, estimated at 1.5 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP annually, hindering development and progress.

She added that “GBV is everywhere, it is not good for neither the men nor the women. It has the capacity to reduce economic growth if this is not reduced, we will never come out of poverty. It is not just a human rights issue, it is an economic issue.

“The funding for gender equality and women empowerment has reduced, and as experts, we have to think of innovative ways to mobilise funds to fight the menace”.

Gautier Mignot, European Union Ambassador, said “we cannot help but commend the critical reforms that have been initiated by state government and civil society organisations, of which, we have started seeing progress”.

Represented by Toyosi Giwa, Technical Lead, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption ( ROLaC), Mignot pledged sustained advocacy “until perpetrators are held accountable and punished and every survivor gain access to assistance that they need to recover and heal”,

Mr Gabriel Aduda, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said that in commemorating the 2024 activities, commitments would be re-enforced, while collaborations and empowerment of survivors strengthened.

Aduda added that “GBV remains a pervasive issue in our societies, transcending borders, cultures and socioeconomic status. It continues to rob individuals of their dignity, undermine families and hinder national development.

“In Nigeria, statistics paint a sobering picture, with a significant percentage of women and girls experiencing violence in their lifetimes. This is unacceptable, and we must act with urgency,” he said.

Aduda, therefore, stressed the need to move beyond rhetoric by amplifying voices, strengthening actions and deepen resolve to address the root causes of GBV.

“Every law we enact, every programme we implement, and every survivor we empower brings us closer to a Nigeria where women and girls can live free from fear and violence,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Rabi'u Sani Ali
Nov, Mon, 2024

Features

Integrating gender response into Kaduna State education budget

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By Aisha Gambo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Education is catalyst to social, economic and national development. To achieve their potential, governments at all levels are encouraged investments in the sector.

Investment in education has the potential enhance access to quality teaching and learning process for upcoming generations and boost enrolment.

Such investment should not only be in the form of infrastructure but also instructional materials and capacity building for teaching and non-teaching.

This stimulates a safe environment and provides equal opportunities for girls and boys to be empowered and educated.

These equip them with the necessary skills realise their full potential and contribute to societal development.

However, some cultural and societal norms in Nigeria prioritise the education of boys over girls.

This has resulted to gender disparities in education attainment as girls face other barrier to access and complete their education.

According to UNICEF 7.6 million girls are Out Of School in Nigeria while 3.9 million at the primary and 3.7 million at the junior secondary level.

UNICEF further said that 48 per cent of OOS girls are in the northwest and northeast.

A survey by Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics in 2020 shows that 31.1 per cent of children within the primary school age are out of school, adding that 31.9 per cent of children within the junior secondary school age are out of school in the state.

However, the survey also revealed that the distribution of out-of-school cases in the state consist of 63.7 per cent male and 36.3 per cent female.

Government interventions in enhancing gender responsive education.

Over the years the Kaduna state government has increased budgetary allocation to education sector to reinvigorate basic and post basic levels to enhance access to free and quality for all.

For instance, the state government earmarked N26. 2 billion for Education in 2024 approved budget.

The sum of N12.5 billion was allocated to the ministry of education; N2.7 billion to State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB)while the remaining N11 billion was shared among the state-owned tertiary institutions; schools quality assurance authority and library board.

The state also developed a 10-year Education Sector Plan (ESP) named Kaduna State 2019 – 2029 Education Sector Strategic Plan.

It is a comprehensive and strategic framework developed with support of development partners to guide planning, implementation and evaluation of education policies and programmes.

UNICEF says achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 which is inclusive and equitable quality education for all, a Gender-responsive Education Sector Planning (GRESP) is essential.

This is because GRESP is a holistic approach to advancing gender equality in and through education, including learning and learning environments, teacher education and practice, curriculum and administration among others.

To advance gender equality in education, education systems need to be gender responsive by design which include funding of girl child education.

At the Kaduna State ministry of education, an exclusive department for gender ,now female education was created to tackle issues related to girl child education.

Each year, the department is funded to execute gender related programmes such as second chance education, sensitisation on gender based violence, creation of water and sanitation facilities in schools among others.

The director of planning in the ministry, Salisu Baba-Lawal, said that government prioritises gender equality and social inclusion as such has allocated a large sum of money to achieve it.

“We have provisions for gender in our annual budget which fund gender related projects.

” In 2021, a sum of N7 million was allocated to gender, N4 million was budgeted for the year 2022, N5 million allocated in 2023 and in 2024 , N12 million was allocated to female education”, he said.

Following the money

For many years, the gender department in the Kaduna State ministry of education has been conducting activities that address challenges of both girls.

But with the recent review in 2024, which changed the department’s name to female education it now prioritises female education.

However, that doesn’t stop it from conducting activities or projects that would benefit the male gender.

Though a detailed breakdown of the budget expenditures were not made available, the department explained the programmes and projects they conducted.

The Deputy Director, Female Education, Hajiya Aishatu Muhammad, that explained that the ministry had provided second chance for girls who dropped out of school due to early marriage or pregnancy.

She said that school uniforms, socks and sandals were provided for the girls while teachers were paid stipends for staying over time as most classes were done in the afternoon.

Another project the ministry was to provide Water and Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools with boys and girls having separate toilets to ease themselves during school hours.

Abdullahi said the ministry with the support from World Bank’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project built toilets and boreholes making the school environment conducive for the girl child.

“It may interest you to know that, the ministry of education in collaboration with AGILE, nominated amongst the existing staff we have in the school ,a Gender Based Violence (GBV) focal person.

“We even have a Grievance Response Mechanism (GRM) officer and we have a suggestion box in the schools to serve as a channel for reporting incidents”, she said.

Abdullahi, who doubles as the AGILE focal person, said that since the implementation of the project, the enrolment, retention and completion of female students has increased as they now feel more comfortable learning.

Parents, expert call for improvement

Malama Hajara Abubakar, a widow and a mother of four girls, recounts her struggle in ensuring her children get an education.

“Their father died when three of them were in junior secondary school; I had to do menial jobs to get them learning materials and pay other expenses the schools may request even though it’s a public school.

“But when they completed their SS 3 I couldn’t afford to pay for their exams, so I married them off; I wanted them to further their education but couldn’t.

“So when my youngest daughter completed SS3, I raised N10, 000 and pleaded with my neighbour who was a head a teacher in a private school to assist me and she did.

“Now that girl is working and taking care of me ‘, she said.

Abubakar says there are many parents like her who cannot afford to pay for their children’s final exams, and urged governments to look into the matter.

In spite government’s effort to provide free and quality education to children and return out of school children to schools to school, some education experts say there is still need for improvement.

Hadiza Umar, founder of communication for children and international development, while commending Kaduna State Government’s effort in address gender parity in schools said there was need for gender related programmes and policies to be scaled up.

She also said some of the programmes like the second chance education, sexual health reproductive awareness campaign among others should cut across all the schools in the state.

Umar says giving free education to girls but leaving them to pay for their senior secondary school exams would not achieve the desired results.

“Government should focus on paying for SSCE and JAMB because most of them can’t move forward and can’t get certificates to continue to even get a job.

“They cannot get admission and are unable a job that can help them generate some funds and further her education’’, she said.

While some experts advocate payment of Senior Secondary School exams fees, others demand effective monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of gender programmes.

Dr Hassana Shuaibu, Senior programme Officer, Ace Charity, says a breakdown on the expenditure of the female education budget should be available to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation.

She reiterated the need for an education sector plan that is gender responsive and the importance of funding of GRESP as well as transparency and accountability of the education budgeting. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria**