A Nigerian Gender Policy is capable of highlighting the potentials of Nigerian women, create room  for economic empowerment in both the agricultural and entrepreneurship sectors. It can also lead to human development through the reduction of  female mortality rates, increasing educational attainment and providing improved voice, justice and political force.

This was disclosed in Lagos, at the weekend, by  Wuinmi Asubiaro-Dada , the author of the Nigerian Gender Policy Report, during a meeting by the World Bank and Lagos State Government on gender Policy in Nigeria.

The dialogue which had been ongoing for a week had series of gender policies and multi stakeholder sessions on gender equality and development earlier in Abuja, Enugu and Minna.

Also speaking, World Bank director for Nigeria, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, said the policy was needed for men and women. However, Senior Social Development Adviser, DFID, Katja Jobs said while Nigerian girls and women had experienced worse lives than men, investments in Nigerian girls and women were investment in the country’s future and a peaceful development.

On his part, World Bank Director for Property Development, Prem. Marcelo Giugule, said the priority on gender in the African region was to create jobs for youths and in closing the proximity gap. .

Present at the Lagos session was the state attorney-general, Mr. Adeola Ipaye.