The African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) has launched “Centre LSD Build Grant,” for strengthening an intersectional approach to gender and natural resources management.
The Programme Coordinator, Centre LSD, Ms. Victoria Udoh, during the launch of the Grant on Tuesday in Abuja explained that the overarching goal of the project is to build strong and resilient organizations that will contribute to elimination of all forms of gender-based violence in the extractive sector in Nigeria.
She said that the project which is supported by Ford Foundation is divided into two fold, “Institutional Strengthening Interventions” and “Programmatic Interventions”.
According to her “Institutional Strengthening Interventions seeks to build the capacity of staff to deliver on the BUILD grant and beyond.
“It is also designed to strengthen the systems and structures of the Centre through the procurement of ancillary resources needed to interrogate systems, structures and practices that have put women and children in disadvantage in the extractive sector in Nigeria.
“While Programmatic Interventions is dedicated to the implementation of activities geared towards reducing the barriers faced by women in the extractive industry.
“During the project lifespan, activities and programmes to reverse the identified practices and barriers faced by women in the extractive sector will be our focus.
“In Nigeria, women faces systematic discrimination in all phases of extractive industry. The entrenched gender bias not only prevents women from engaging in and accessing economic benefits, but also manifests in how companies and governments engage with communities at all stages of extractive activities.
“The Mineral and Mining Act 2007 which guides processes and procedures in the sector is gender blind and as a result, company-community consultation and decision-making are done in alienation of women and their perspectives,”she said.
