IWD 2024: CAFOD, CWSI advocate implementation of national policy, action plan for women empowerment

By Stanley Onyekwere

As Nigerians joined their counterparts across the globe to commemorate the 2024 International Women’s Day, he Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and the Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) have called on the government of Nigeria at all levels to demonstrate its commitment to invest in and empower the women in the country.

They also identified gender equality issues, ending poverty, shifting to green economy and care society, implementing gender-responsive financing; and supporting feminist change-makers, as the five key areas needing joint action.

To this end, CAFOD and CWSI called on the government to throw its weight behind the implementation of the National Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy and Action Plan launched in 2023 by the immediate past administration.

In a joint press release signed by he Country Representative, CAFOD Nigeria and the Executive Director, CWSI, Sister Ngozi Frances Uti, they stressed the need
to intentionally create and invest in initiatives that will ameliorate women/girls from the harsh conditions of an austere economy.

It read: “Sadly, Nigeria continues to fall short of achieving gender equality though the legal and policy framework on gender equality have been strengthened in the last decade.

“Recognizing that women’s economic empowerment is a matter of social justice and a key driver of economic growth and development, this plan laid the framework for empowering women to participate fully in the economy as entrepreneurs, employees, and consumers.

“Nigerian women make up roughly half the general population, yet they account for 70% of the 90 million Nigerians living in extreme poverty.

“As a nation, there is no way we can advance with half the population void of the necessary enablers to overcome poverty. This underscores the relevance of the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day – ‘Count Her In: Accelerating Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment” and the sub-theme “Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress.”

Meanwhile, in alignment with this year’s theme, CWSI and CAFOD
celebrated Nigerian women who despite all the challenges that women faced and are still facing in various areas have
through hard work, determination and commitment
made it and continue to invest in the lives of women and girls.

Also, there were goodwill messages from organisations and government agencies in attendance, including a keynote address, a panel discussion and a questions and answers session as well as presentation of awards to some notable women for their outstanding contributions to the emancipation of women and the Girl-Child.

Both CAFOD and CWSI are civil society organisations with decades of experience promoting gender justice, women’s economic empowerment and protection in Nigeria remain committed to journey with the government to ensure that meaningful investment in women is accelerated and achieved across Nigeria.