Lagos Partners Financial Institutions on Women Empowerment 

–        As UN Women court Christian religious leaders to combat violence against women, girls

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Segun James in Lagos and Michael Olugbode in Abuja

To upscale the lot of the women folks in Lagos State, the state government has gone into partnership with some financial institutions to make loans easily available to indigent women and traders.

The move is to enable them boost their business capital and be financially literate in order to key into the state’s financial inclusion system.

In another related development, UN Women and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OIAC) have called for Christian leaders to escalate action to curb violence against women and girls.

This appeal came during a two-day UN Women and Ford Foundation-supported workshop for members of the OAIC.

On Lagos State’s partnership with some financial institutions, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih- Awokoya, who disclosed this yesterday, said it is part of the responsibility of her office to promote human capital development through advocacy programmes put together by her office and promote development in areas where they lack assistance.

She explained that to benefit from the programme the women trader must have National Identification Number NIN, Lagos State Resident Registration Agency (LASRRA).

Her words: “Collaboration is evidently the major approach to private partnership, and this is why the SDG approached these relevant institutions. Nevertheless, we extend an invitation to all institutions to join us in this meritorious human capital development generally.

“Human capital development matters reflect the strength and growth of the society, but it was meant to implement the growth of the society. It is going to be two sums. These two sums are a success factor for the sustainable development growth. We can accomplish an equitable Lagos where every human thrives irrespective of their circumstances.”

Finnih- Awokoya who was flanked by representatives of the financial institutions partnering the government said it is the overall mandate of her office to eliminate financial exclusion which most women had been subjected to.

In his remark the representative of OPAY financial institution, Mr. Adedotun Adekunle, said the essence of the programme is to get a lot of people into the financial ecosystem.

He said it is the nexus of what they are doing as a corporate financial organisation to get as many men and women into the financial ecosystem, to get them educated and empower them to do business and so they can earn a living.

The representative of Cowry Wise, another financial institution, Mr. Oyeyinka Oyekan, said core objectives of Cowrie Wise since its establishment in 2017 was to make savings and investment accessible to all Africans, regardless of their social economic background.

He said: “We are eager to partner the office of the Sustainable Development Goal SDGs, to inculcate financial integrity into indigent saturated areas of Lagos State through the human capital development initiative. We believe that financial integrity is not a privilege but a fundamental human right.

“Furthermore, financial literacy is the sustainable part of the sustainable development growth. This partnership will enable us to extend financial institutions to those who need it most because of their financial future, and by extension contribute to our great state Lagos.”

He noted that by fostering financial literacy, they aimed to reduce barriers in economic participation and enable long term participation for individuals and their families, particularly underserved communities, because they need to take control of their financial future and by extension introduce their financial institution.

Meanwhile, UN Women and OAIC (a community of leaders of different churches) explained the workshop targets enhancement of the knowledge of Christian leaders on the nuances of gender-based violence, initiate collective action against gender-based violence through the various church mechanisms, and provide the opportunity for Christian leaders and churches to network and consolidate on the fight against gender-based violence.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in three women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that an estimated 137 women are killed daily by a partner or family member globally, highlighting the severe consequences of GBV.

In Nigeria, GBV remains a significant challenge, manifesting in various forms, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and harmful traditional practices. These issues are often perpetuated by cultural norms and religious misinterpretations that justify violence and discrimination against women and girls.

Religious leaders, as moral guides and influencers within their communities, play a critical role in either reinforcing these harmful norms or championing efforts to eradicate GBV. This informed the reason behind organizing the workshop to lobby them.

According to a statement by UN Women on Thursday, the workshop is intended to impact sermons delivered by clergies and Christian leaders so that messages delivered over the pulpit have interpretations of religious texts and tenets that address gender inequality, condemn gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices, and promote gender justice.

UN Women Programmes Officer Ibrahim Nurudeen facilitated sessions that demystified some harmful social norms and beliefs common in the religious cycle.

Participants affirmed that some tenets need to be appropriately communicated in the contemporary context.

According to the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Daniel Okoh, “We must use this opportunity to deal with deprivation of opportunities for the female members to exercise their God-given talents by their spouses and the leadership of their churches.

“We must first deal with these issues connected to GBV before we can effectively give moral leadership in this advocacy and, indeed, the battle”.

The workshop provided in-depth analysis of GBV’s socio-economic impact, its implications, and the critical role of religious leaders in combating this issue.

Participants were equipped with strategies to incorporate gender equality principles in their messages, marriage counselling, and promoting healthy and respectful relationships.

President, OIAC Nigeria, Israel Akinadewo said: “Conclusively, as a noble organisation as ours, I would appeal that after these sessions, we become champions of spiritual battalions combating any form of GBV.”

The statement said by empowering religious leaders with the knowledge and tools they need, UN Women aims to drive a transformative socio-cultural shift towards a more just, equitable, and violence-free society in Nigeria and across West Africa.