Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, was the site of Friday’s inauguration of a multi-sectoral program called the “Nigeria For Women Programme Scale-Up,” or NFWP-SU.
On behalf of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye explained that NFWP-SU is a World Bank-supported initiative that aims to increase economic prospects for women by establishing women’s affinity groups and other mechanisms for economic empowerment.
She said that the initiative, which had gained momentum in six federation states, was a US-World Bank partnership with the overarching objective of empowering women and achieving gender equality.
“The parent project tested the Women Affinity Group (WAG) model as a platform for addressing key constraints to women’s social and economic empowerment at the household and community levels,” she explains, adding that this would help remove obstacles to women’s prosperity and empower them socially.
The economic and social benefits of increasing women’s access to financial services have been well-documented. Women are better able to meet the requirements of their families when they have assets.
The economic security of a woman’s family and her own community are both enhanced when she is able to use and manage her own money.
According to Mrs. Toyin Familoni, the NFWP-SU Coordinator in Ekiti State, the state has passed legislation to eliminate discrimination against women and mainstream gender equality, thus assuring gender parity.
Familoni said that Governor Oyebanji had authorized funds and supplied space for the program to run, with three local governments selected to serve as pilots to begin the initiative and bring it to fruition.