Group Demands for Review of Budget Allocation for Women

Mary Nnah

New Faces New Voice Nigeria (NFNV – Nigeria) in Collaboration with Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) demanded a review of the budget allocation for Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) projects across Nigeria.

Speaking during a press conference in Lagos recently,  the Country Director, NFNV -Nigeria, Aisha Debola Aminu reminded that amongst the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was to encourage equitable treatment of women and girls and empower women.

She noted however that amid continued advancement in almost all sectors of the economy, more women live below the poverty line, with less than two-thirds of women working compared to more than 90% of males.

Aminu, therefore, called on the National Assembly to increase the strategic role of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in WEE at the National level by funding the nation’s numerous women’s centres under the Agency.

While appealing to WEE stakeholders to ensure effective scrutinisation of the budget document, she also demanded that the agency inquire why MDAs have low priority for WEE despite a clear message by the President on women empowerment.

Speaking further, Aminu stressed, “Women contribute substantially to the economy in various ways, including working in businesses or on farms, either as owners of those enterprises or as employees, and providing unpaid care for members of their own families. Nevertheless, unemployment, marginalisation, and exploitation continue to have a substantial and detrimental impact on their lives. Hence, the vast majority of women end up in dangerous occupations that pay poorly due to gender bias, and a tiny fraction of women hold leadership roles in organisations.”

She warned therefore that the incessant decrease in the allocation at both federal and state levels is capable of crippling the economic potential of women in the country adding that denying women these opportunities has equally denied them voice, income, assets, opportunities and power to make their own decisions.