Gender and Development: Challenges to Women Involvement in Nigeria’s Development

The contributions of women to the national economy are increasingly being recognized, but more opportunities are needed to fully develop their roles. Women lack the training and the means to bloom and this is needed for advancing the position of women: strengthening their capacities and skills and expanding the opportunities for women to more fully develop their roles. Most women live and work under deteriorating material conditions due to economic and social decline and conflicts. There are developmental costs of ignoring women and denying them access to key resources and the severe economic constraints tend to undercut it. The continuing poverty and deprivation in the country, declining terms of trade and the burden of external debt create an unfavourable environment for development. Of the limited resources available, little is directly allocated to women. Structural adjustment policies pursued by government have had important gender consequences. Macroeconomic policies do not incorporate gender perspectives in their design and ignore the social relations that influence women's roles in production.

Women's inequitable gender relations, their poverty and powerlessness in society are interconnected. Nigeria must commit to eradicating gender inequalities; mainstream gender; create a standing committee for gender affairs. Policy-makers must work with women to improve their positions and accelerate national development. A comprehensive approach must be taken to remove the social, economic and legal constraints on women. New administrative arrangements must be found to support their education and make it more consistent with their needs. Gender biases must be taken into account to improve women's ability to take advantage of incentives.