Stakeholders in Nigeria are asking for stronger efforts to empower women economically in Nigeria.
They believe that creating and validating measures for women's economic empowerment policy and plans are important for improving the economic status of women.
The stakeholders made this request on Thursday at a workshop on WEE indicators, action plan, and monitoring and evaluation framework organized by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, and the Development Research and Policy Centre.
During his speech, the Director General of NIPSS, Ayo Omotayo, mentioned that the national WEE policy document can help women move from having limited economic power, voice, and choice to gaining skill opportunities.
Omotayo, represented by the institute's acting Director of Research, Dr Musa Umar, said, "As we harmonise and validate the indicators in the WEE policy, action plan, and Monitoring and Evaluation framework, I want to urge you to consider the efficiency, effectiveness, and relevance of the WEE policy.
He also encouraged considering the sustainability of WEE intervention results, stakeholders' and beneficiaries' satisfaction with the results, and the effectiveness of the policy frameworks to achieve maximum impact.
The Executive Director of dRPC, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, stated that empowering women economically will not only improve individual lives but also drive sustainable development, bolster economic growth, and strengthen families and communities.
Walker, represented by the Project Director of dRPC, Dr Stanley Ukpai, emphasized the need to commit to the validation process and ensure that every indicator agreed upon is practical.
"We must ensure that our M&E framework can withstand the scrutiny of implementation, delivering data that is reliable, timely, and actionable.
"Let us imagine a future where the economic empowerment of women is not just a goal but a reality, where our daughters have equal opportunities to thrive, and where our collective efforts have laid the groundwork for an inclusive and prosperous nation," she said.
The Director, National Monitoring and Evaluation, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Olasumbo Ayinde-Yakub, urged Nigerians to adopt the practice of monitoring and evaluating policies.
"We have many indicators related to agriculture, entrepreneurship, and technology tracking women to ensure they are efficiently supported and getting what is needed to be economically empowered in all sectors.
Establishing monitoring and evaluation is beneficial for every Nigerian, including the government and the citizens. So we should take it seriously and establish the culture of monitoring and evaluation," Ayinde-Yakub said.
The Senior Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Women Affairs, Fatima Faruk, represented by Mariam Abdullahi, urged the stakeholders to make sure women at the grassroots are involved when implementing policies.