Stakeholders including Civil Society Organizations, (CSOs), Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDAs), and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS), have called for efficient tracking of Women Economic Empowerment, (WEE), projects through harmonization and validation of policy indicators.
Executive Director, development Research and Project Center, (dRPC), Dr. Judith Ann-Walker, said that harmonizing and validating the policy indicators is aimed at measuring progress made by Nigeria in the implementation of the policy using key indicators.
Speaking at a one-day workshop on Harmonization and Validation of WEE Policy, Action Plan and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework organized by dRPC and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS), in partnership with the federal ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, in Abuja.
Dr. Ann-Walker represented by the Direction Programmes dRPC, Dr. Stanley Ukpai, and pointed out that women’s economic empowerment is not only a component of gender equality but a cornerstone of a thriving, equitable society.
“The WEE policy and action plan is our strategic blueprint; It outlines our objectives, initiatives, and the mechanisms by which we aim.to elevate the economic status of women.
“But a plan without an effective monitoring and evaluation framework is akin to a ship without a compass hence, we seek to chart our course carefully.
“As we delve into the technicalities, let us be cognizant of the fact that the indicators we seek to harmonize and validate are more than mere metrics; They are the lenses through which we will measure progress, the tools with which we will forge a path forward and the beacons that will guide our policies and actions.”
Director General,NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, explained that public policies and Programmes in Nigeria impacts citizens differently along gender and social lines.
He said “The national WEE policy has great potential to to chart a path for completely transitioning women from having limited economic power, voice and choice to acquiring skills, resources and opportunities required to access and compete equitably in the markets.”
Speaking on effective Monitoring and Evaluation, (M&E), of WEE components of various government agencies and parastatals, Director, National M& Department, federal ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Olasumbo Ayinde-Yakub, said “There is no sector of government that does not have women economic empowerment initiative.
“Monitoring and evaluation on its own is meant to track progress. It is a lense through which the government and even citizens can measure how far have we gone in terms of implementing those economic empowerment initiatives.
“Government in the last and current administration have been very concerned about tracking these initiatives to ensure we get the best for money spent, that is value for money.”
Executive Secretary, National Financing Cooperatives Agency of Nigeria, (CFAN), Emmanuel Atama, said that as the apex for financial cooperatives in Nigeria, CFAN opens up financing opportunities for women in cooperatives.
