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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the impact of poverty on women and children in Nigeria, highlighting how it affects children’s access to education, nutrition, and other fundamental rights.
Speaking at the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2024 in Abuja, UNICEF’s Gender and Development Manager, Ms. Takudzwa Kanyangarara, stated, “While progress has been made in efforts to eradicate poverty, many challenges that disproportionately affect women and children persist.”
Ms. Kanyangarara emphasised the importance of listening to the needs and aspirations of girls, citing, “Girls have told us how crucial it is to provide them with the information and services they need to make informed decisions about their health and everyday lives.”
She shared a story of Zainab, a 13-year-old from Yoruba state who has become an entrepreneur by making and selling reusable menstrual pads.
“The income she generates supports her education and family, demonstrating how empowering girls can drive significant change,” Kanyangarara noted.
Despite these challenges, Kanyangarara observed that girls remain optimistic about their Future.
Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu, Executive Director of the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC), highlighted the stark reality of poverty in Nigeria: “Children from the poorest families are nearly 11 times more likely to die than those from the wealthiest families,” she said.
She underscored the importance of understanding poverty in its multidimensional aspects, stating, “The global multidimensional poverty index offers a comprehensive understanding of poverty, going beyond monetary measures to capture its multidimensional aspects.”
Dirisu explained that the 2024 Gender and Inclusion Summit is dedicated to policy imperatives and actions needed for a more inclusive Nigeria.
“The PIC community commits to translating every idea and recommendation from this Summit into a clear roadmap for actions towards improving Nigeria’s performance in gender index rankings,” she added.
Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Niyi Yussuf, also spoke at the event, emphasizing the urgent need to address poverty in Nigeria, which disproportionately affects women.
“The scourge of multidimensional poverty persists, entangling millions and hindering the full realization of their potential,” he stated.
He further called for collective efforts to create solutions that directly reduce inequality and deprivation, fostering a more equitable and prosperous society for all.
“We need to design and implement solutions that allow our women and every citizen to take their rightful place in our society, so our nation can finally realize its potential,” Yussuf concluded.
The summit, organised by the Policy Innovation Centre, an initiative of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, serves as an annual platform for stakeholders to discuss and co-create solutions for gender and inclusion in Nigeria.
