CSO holds gender responsive budgeting workshop in Abuja

In order to mainstream accountability and transparency in the preparation, approval, implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation of budgets from the gender perspective, a civil society organisation, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), has held a two-day workshop for Nigerians.

The event held Monday in Abuja, in collaboration with Spotlight Initiative, had in attendance different government and NGOs, including the lead director of Neighbourhood Initiative for Women Advancement (NIWA), Mrs Nancy Ifeyinwa Oko-Onya, programme manager Achievers Improved Health Initiative, Fatima Balarabe Umar, chairperson steering committee Nigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers, Mrs Lizzy Igbine, among others.

Addressing newsmen at the opening, the lead director of CSJ, Mr Eze Onyekpere, said that the purpose of the workshop is to evaluate issues affecting women and to ensure that rights of women are respected and protected especially when budgetary decisions are being made.

He said: “We are using this workshop to look at sexual and gender based violence, violence against women and girls, harmful practices, sexual and reproductive health rights. The question is: what can we do to ensure that Nigerian women and girls are protected from violence? For that, we are here to build capacity of civil society organisation, women group, the media and vulnerable persons.

“As at today, we are not budgeting in Nigeria: whether at the state or federal level using the gender prism. We are making budgetary policies as if everybody will benefit from it. You know people cannot benefit equally because of social circumstances, training, orientation and because of who they are. In Nigeria today, there is no equality between men and women. That’s why we want to bring this to focus.”

“We are not saying that they should make different laws for men and women. We are simply saying they should make laws for Nigerians as people who have needs to take care of. We are going to engage in advocacy and make efforts across the country to push for achieving our objectives. This is a long term project.  We are a knowledge based organisation trying to make sure that no one is oppressed and that everyone gets his due.

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