The Executive Director, Policy Innovation Centre, (PIC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, (NESG1), Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu, has said that for Nigeria to overcome poverty, local driven solutions that embraces gender inclusion must be embraced.
She made this known at a media briefing ahead of the 2024 Gender and Inclusion Summit, (GS-24), themed ‘Reimagining Gender-Inclusive Pathways and Partnerships for Poverty Reduction.
Dr. Dirisu observed that “The slow progress of many African countries in achieving their full social and economic potential has been linked to the failure to embrace gender equity. “The intersection of poverty and gender inequity underscores profound challenges in health, livelihood, and living conditions, particularly evident in Nigeria.
“Addressing poverty in Nigeria cannot be business as usual. Ending poverty (Goal 1) and reducing inequality (Goal 10) are part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a wide range of approaches have been identified to reduce poverty and inequities.”
She explained that the gender and inclusive summit is an annual event conceptualized in 2022 to provide an inclusive platform to explore transformative ways to advance gender responsive governance and inclusion in Africa
“We face unprecedented times; a weak and non-inclusive economy, volatile macro-economic environment, security challenges and weak. About 63% of Nigerians or nearly 133 million people are multidimensionally poor which implies that in addition to lack of income, they lack access to basic amenities such as healthcare, education, adequate sanitation and clean cooking fuels, ” she adds.
Speaking on some of the key indicators of poverty, Chief Executive Officer, (CEO), NESG, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, said that this year’s theme is deeply rooted in the transformative vision of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a comprehensive roadmap for a more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable future for all.
He said “Evidence shows a parallel relationship between multidimensional poverty and gender inequality, with countries performing poorly on the Global Gender Report also exhibiting high severe multidimensional poverty.
“Multidimensional poverty encompasses deprivations in health (undernutrition, child mortality), education (years of schooling, attendance), and living standards (electricity, sanitation, water, housing, cooking fuel, asset ownership).
Also speaking, Local Organizing Chairman of the summit, Afeez Olajire, noted that the 2024 summit which holds on the 4th -5th September, represents a pivotal moment in our collective efforts to address the systemic barriers that perpetuate poverty and inequity, particularly as the slow progress of many African countries in attaining economic development has been linked to their failure to embrace gender equity.
He said “Nigerian women own 41% of micro-businesses, with 23 million female entrepreneurs, placing Nigeria among the highest entrepreneurship rates globally, surpassing the 21% global average. Despite this, societal and cultural barriers, including gender violence, limited education, and prevalent slavery, hinder women’s progress.
“Gender equality and inclusion are essential for sustainable development. The GS-24 will explore gender-inclusive pathways to poverty reduction by addressing health, education, and living standards, highlighting strategic partnerships to advance these efforts.