ActionAid Nigeria to implement SPA II project in FCT, Borno others

ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has said the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPAII) project will be implemented in Lagos (Southwest), the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) (North Central), the Bay states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (Northeast), Akwa-Ibom (South South), and Enugu (Southeast).

During the inception workshop of the Project in Abuja, the Country Director, Ene Obi who was represented by the Director, Research, Mobilisation and Innovation, AAN, Andrew Mamedu explained that the workshop is aimed at notifying all project stakeholders about the project and will provide the foundation for building collective understanding on the goals of the project and the necessary actions required to achieve the goals.

Andrew explained that the overall objective of the SPA programme was: “Strengthened capacity, space and diversity of youth organisations, movements, and alliances to act, influence and advocate for increased realisation and accountability for the rights, standards, and goals that duty bearers have agreed to and adopted, primarily the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Human Rights” and significant results were achieved towards this in terms of strengthening capacity and influence of youth.

According to him, strengthening capacity and raising awareness of key constituents was central to the theory of change of the global tax programme, which saw local communities, trade unions and especially women and youth as change makers in addressing injustices and inequalities.

“During SPAI, the programme finalised the Reflection Action Toolkit (RATK), which provides concrete and simple tools and exercises that are tailored for community groups and local facilitators to be able to engage in influencing processes around tax justice.

“Continuously, key aspects of tax justice were promoted in targeted interventions across the federation. As a result of the programme, activists in Nigeria and women and young people facing marginalisation

were trained and strengthened their capacity to demand for tax justice in their local contexts and at national level.

“Working with local partners is a core element in enhancing sustainability and efficiency, not only by reducing implementing costs, but also by supporting the capacities, experiences, and technical competencies of partners, and by strengthening already existing structures at local, and national level through engaging actively in networks and alliances.

“Equally, the training and capacity building of young people and constituents and supporting them in conducting evidence-based advocacy to gain influence on the development of their communities was core to contributing to sustainability, and this will be carried forward into the programming of SPAII.

“The overall objective of the programme is ‘Improved realisation of basic human and democratic rights and improved, sustainable livelihoods

resilience and protection for young people, especially young women living in marginalisation, including in disaster and protracted crises contexts in Nigeria.”

“In Nigeria young people between ages 18 to 35 constitute about 28% of the entire population, and 51% of the registered voters. However, young people are largely marginalized from governance and decision-making spaces.

“Young women face multiple challenges, according to worsening statistics on low literacy levels, maternal mortality, gender-based violence, economic and financial exclusion, low-income levels and limited access to land and natural resources.

“Furthermore, intersectional feminist analysis shows that discriminatory laws, patriarchy, cultural norms, and gender stereotypes contribute to structural inequalities faced by young women.

“Natural disasters intensified by climate change, conflict and recently COVID-19 pandemic have taken devastating toll on young women and their ability to cope and transform their livelihoods.

He lamented that Nigeria has the biggest economy on the African continent, yet 43% of the population lives in extreme poverty. For young Nigerians, the socio-economic and security situation, COVID-19, and climate change impact have served a toxic mix of high unemployment, loss of livelihood and despondency.