FG, World Bank, DFID hold Gender Policy Dialogue in Nigeria

The Government of Nigeria, the World Bank and the United Kingdom Department for International Development are organising a Gender Policy Dialogue in Nigeria with events in Abuja, Enugu, Minna and Lagos.

The World Bank in a statement said that providing equitable economic opportunities to women in Nigeria would have a largely positive impact on productivity.
It equally said that eliminating barriers that discriminate against women working in certain sectors or occupations could increase labour productivity by as much as 25 per cent in some countries.
In Osun State in Nigeria, for example, the bank said, the 40 per cent gender gap in agricultural productivity would be closed if women had equitable access to and use of productive inputs.
“Nigeria is losing immensely due to gender inequality: women’s lower access to education, health and economic opportunities undermine equitable and sustainable growth. Tapping into the enormous and largely hidden potential that girls and women represent, and ensuring women and men share the fruits of growth and globalization, is critical for the future of Nigeria and the achievement of key development goals,” says Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, World Bank Nigeria Country Director.
It said the Gender Policy Dialogue aims to:
1.        Provide a multi-stakeholder platform for discussion and debate on the findings of the latest research on gender, including the 2012 World Development Report and the DFID/British Council research on Gender in Nigeria
2.        Explore options and best practices to mainstream gender in strategies and policies;
3.        Support the agenda of the Government of Nigeria to implement innovative gender equality programs in different regions of Nigeria
Selected sub-themes for the Dialogue sessions are: (i) economic empowerment for women, including through agriculture and entrepreneurship; (ii) improvement of health conditions, especially in the area of maternal mortality and excess mortality, and (iii) access to justice and political voice of women in the country.
The multi-stakeholder policy events will support coalition and consensus-building on the next steps for the piloting of innovative and transformative policies and programmes for gender equity in different sectors and regions in Nigeria.
The Dialogue is part of a broader effort by the Government of Nigeria, the World Bank and the United Kingdom Department for International Development are currently developing innovative research on gender and exploring avenues for the experimentation of groundbreaking policies and programmes for gender equality in Nigeria.
“Blocking women and girls from getting the skills and earnings to succeed in a globalised world is morally wrong and economically harmful,” said Justin Yifu Lin, World Bank Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, Development Economics. “Sharing the fruits of growth and globalization equally between men and women is essential to meeting key development goals.”
Meanwhile, events will hold at the following dates and venues:
Gender Policy Dialogue in Abuja:
Date:                Monday 21st May, 2012
Venue:                Sheraton Abuja Hotel, 1 Ladi Kwali Street, Abuja
Time:                8.30am – 5pm
Gender Policy Dialogue in Enugu:       
Date:                Friday 25th May, 2012
Venue:                Golden Royale Hotel, 10 Independence Avenue, Enugu
Time:                8:30a.m. – 5:00p.m.
Gender Policy Dialogue in Minna:
Date:                Monday 28th May, 2012
Venue:                Justice Legbo Kutigi Hall, Minna.
Time:                8:30a.m. – 5:00p.m.
Gender Policy Dialogue in Lagos:
Date:                Friday 1st June, 2012
Venue:                 Westown Hotel, 1 Ayeni 1010 Close, Sheraton – Opebi Link Road, Ikeja, Lagos                (behind Sheraton)
Time:                8:30a.m. – 5:00p.m.