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By Dapo Akinrefon

The Partnership for Advancing Women in Economic Development, PAWED, on Friday, tasked state governments to emulate Lagos State in domesticating the National Women Economic Empowerment, WEE Policy, in their states.

Speaking at the NGO Socialisation Meeting on the National WEE Policy for Lagos State, PAWED, supported by the development Research and Project Centre, dRPC, said they determined to encourage other states to adopt the policy for the benefit of women.

A consultant working for dRPC, Mrs Kehinde Omojola, stressed the need for stakeholder engagement and inclusion of rural women in formulation of government policies.

Omojola said: “The non-performing loan rate for women-owned and women-led SMEs is only 2.7 per cent which is 33 per cent lower than the rate for men-Global Banking Alliance for Women 2017.

“It is going to help the government to properly plan for the women. One of the issues we have had is that there are a lot of interventions government is doing but it looks like it is more of welfare rather than proper economic empowerment.

“And the fact that in whatever that is being done there is a need for a proper collection of evidence because that is the only time these can count for us when it comes to performance on the SDGs goals.

“The policy gives a guideline and it tells us who is responsible for what and what needs to be done and even in some cases how to go about doing it.

“With a proper policy in place, it is preparing us for success because when are now going to be intentional in what we do. As we speak, this is going on in Kano and we have several states and about 20 commissioners came together to say they are willing to domesticate this policy in their states.”

Also.speaking, an agribusiness specialist, Aderoju Odunsi, said the policy is galvanizing together all the little bits of efforts that have been done all over the years and bringing them into one document that is crosscutting and involving everyone to address SDG goals.

Odunsi said: “Lagos has contributed a lot into the discuss and so many inputs from different women societies that have now involved into this document that we are reviewing today.

“You can see the intent and the seriousness of the policymakers because after making the policy they still sent it for review.

“What we are doing now is that we are looking at the gaps and they have assigned the MDAs to work on the each of the policy streams. For instance, it has included women even those who are disabled and it talked about women employment and women in maternity.

“We are trying but we are looking at how we can make the lives of women a lot better in Lagos State.”

The Market Leader Mile 12 Market, Precious Modupe Ojo, said the policy will open doors for women in the rural areas to come out and showcase their talents.

She said: “Since Lagos State has already domesticated the policy, I think it will go a long way because Lagos is a pace setter.

“I’m sure that women will have the sense of belonging and participate in government policies and programmes and it will advance our political relevance in the state.

“The challenge over the years is that there is no follow up of government policies but this time around we are going to follow it up because it has already been domesticated in the state.

“So, nothing is stopping us again and we intend to go to every nooks and crannies of the state to ensure the policy is implemented.

“And with the Renewed Hope Agenda, I think this is an opening door for women in the rural areas to come out and showcase ourselves.

“We are the economic drivers of the nation because if a manufacturer manufacture any goods he or she will still come to us in the market to sell and promote the product. So, we are an important sector but they don’t carry us along. I’m sure with this programme, we will go places.”