Government Programmes in Nigeria - Federal Ministry for Women’s Affairs and Social Development

Better Life Programme for Rural Women

This programme was established to enhance the status of women in the rural areas. It was carried out by the National Commission for Women (then upgraded to the Federal Ministry for Women’s Affairs and Social Development (see Legislative and Administrative Institutions)). The aims and objectives of this Programme are the following:

1. stimulating and motivating rural women towards achieving better living standards and sensitising the rest of the Nigerian population to the problems of women;

2. educating rural women on simple hygiene, family planning, the importance of child-care and increased literacy rates;

3. mobilising women collectively in order to improve their general lot and ability to seek and achieve leadership roles in all spheres of society;

4. raising consciousness about the rights of women, the availability of opportunities and facilities, their social, political and economic responsibilities;

5. encouraging recreation and enriched family life; and

6. Inculcating the spirit of self-development, particularly in the fields of education, business, the arts, crafts and agriculture.

The Programme was replaced by the Family Support Programme.

Family Support Programme (FSP)

Initiated in 1994, this Programme culminated in the creation of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare. Its aim is to support and protect the family (both rural and urban) as an entity and its living conditions. One of the ideas sustaining this effort is that women and children are true components of the family. They have the rights to membership of society and freedom and are not to be considered as second-class citizens. The Programme recognizes that equal access of women to education, training, credit and services is a valuable contribution to development. Actions are to be undertaken, at the national level through the offices of the First Lady, at the state level through wives of administrators and at the local level through local government chairmen. The areas of action of the Programme are health, education, women in development, agriculture, child welfare and youth development, disability and destitution, income generation and facilitating the provision of shelter for families from on-going housing programmes of government.

The efforts undertaken under the FSP has resulted in various developments:

1. A committee defined the modalities for the establishment of a special University for women.

2. The task force on girl-child education and child rights committees have been inaugurated, as well as vocational centres for specific skill acquisition, day-care centres and nursery schools.

3. Income generating has been emphasised and the establishment of micro-enterprises, arts and crafts has been promoted, such as ceramic production, soap making, tie dying, dress making and cottage industries.

4. Concerning agriculture, the FSP has distributed agricultural inputs (fertilizers, seedlings, etc.). Irrigation and tractor hiring schemes have been arranged for women farmers at subsidized rates. Attempts have also been made to provide small scale loans for women in the rural area.

5. In November 1995, a national workshop on Financing Agriculture Production by Women was held. Its purpose was to improve the scope of income generation activities of women at the grassroots level.

6. The FSP is also active internationally. It took part in the 7^th OAU/ECA All African Trade and Tourism Fair in Kaduna from 29 March to 6 April 1997.

7. Finally, the FSP has organized zonal workshops on the critical areas defined in the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action.

Family Economic Advancement Programme

This Programme, launched by the government in 1996, has operated credit facilities for women and family units for the promotion of family enterprises. It has been provided with over N7 billion by the government. There are also Credit Administration Entities which assist women to participate actively in the economy through the provision of advisory services on micro-credit.

Follow-up of the Beijing Conference

The Platform for Action (PFA) was simplified and translated into the various languages spoken in Nigeria. It was then distributed nationwide. Workshops were convened on critical areas and their conclusions published. The aim of these workshops were to:

1. facilitate greater understanding of the PFA at the grassroots level;

2. promote grassroots participation in the implementation process;

3. help donors, gender experts and development agencies to appreciate the real needs and constraints of Nigeria Women; and

4. enhance the design of necessary intervention programmes.