Crunching The Numbers: Why Women’s Economic Empowerment Is Global Priority—UN

UN Women have issued a call for greater economic empowerment for women in Nigeria and throughout West Africa during the Women’s Economic Empowerment Learning Week in Abuja.
Ms. Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, addressed regional stakeholders on the theme “Accelerating the Progress of Women’s Economic Empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa amidst Changing Contexts.”

She emphasised the need to eliminate systemic inequalities and other barriers to women’s economic advancement.

She stated that discussions should focus on Women’s Economic Empowerment through Affirmative Procurement in Africa, including the challenges identified, key achievements highlighted by country offices, the policy environment required to encourage women’s access to public procurement opportunities, and the role of the private sector in transforming economies and pioneering change.

She stated, “As we come together today, we are reminded of the importance of addressing systemic inequality, opportunity inequality, and outcomes that have hampered women’s economic empowerment. Though progress has been made, much more needs to be done to accelerate progress and institutionalise transformation in order to ensure women’s economic independence.”

Eyong stated, “I am confident that through the conversations and deliberations that will ensue today, challenges will be addressed, solutions will be proposed, and a path to women’s and girls’ economic well-being will be paved, resulting in a society in which every woman and girl has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to national development.”

She stated that UN Women works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls and is committed to women’s equal participation in all aspects of life, focussing on four strategic priorities: Women lead, participate in, and benefit equally from governance systems; women have income security, decent work, and economic autonomy; and all women and girls live free of all forms of violence. Women and girls contribute to and have greater influence in building sustainable peace and resilience, and benefit equally from natural disaster prevention, conflict resolution, and humanitarian action.

Eyong stated that significant progress has been made in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria, which has resulted in the development of a National Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy, the first of its kind in Nigeria, and praised the approval of an affirmative procurement policy in Kaduna State, as well as the establishment of a private sector GBV fund.