-Thursday, May·5, 2011
Page ·42, THIS DAY, Vol. 16, No. 5855
8 BusinessWORLD
development
Nigerian Trade and Agric Policies: Fallout of a Gender Audit The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) .had with the support of Oxfam NOVIB conducted a gender audit of the Nigerian Trade and Agriculture Policies. It then held a recent interactive session in Abuja . to highlight concerns on gender issues in'the identi~ fied policies. Abimbola Akosile outlines the session, with tips and crucial recommendations' for a better process
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he National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) had with the support of Oxfam NOVlB conducted a gender audit of the Nigerian Trade and Agriculture Policies. The study was motivated by the perceived gender b~ndness of the two sectors of the Nigerian economy critic~ to the realisation of Nigeria's development strategy - Vision 202020; and the need for a gender sensitive approach in the implementation of the ECOWAS Common Agricultural Policy - ECOWAP. [t was also premised on the need to make valua.ble and informed inputs ·m these sectors, which are awaiting critical reviews by the Nigerian government in line with ongoing reforms; another essential factor leading to NANTS embarking on the study. It also considered the fact that NANTS, being the Non State Actors (NSAs) Focal Point on the ECOWAS Community Development Programme (COP) while also leading on regional NSAs efforts on Tra<;Ie and Regional Integration, the audit is vel)' criticru to making informed inputs that would innu~nce the ongoing efforts of ECOWAS at producing a regional Common Trade Policy. . The internctive session was organised by NANfS to generate further concerns, ga!vanise feed backs as well mobi~se strategic buyin from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) including institutions and organisations necessary for promoting and realising gender sensitive approaches in tenns of content, space and voice in the fonn~lation, .and implementation of the'two sectors involved both at the domestic and regional levels. '
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, Comprehensive Participation The stakeholder.;' interactive session comprised of delegates from the public and private sectors of the Nigeria n .economy as weU as . ECOWAS Commission. Present from the pu!>lic sector were relevant Ministries such as the Federal Ministry of Commerce and [ndu?try" Federal Ministry of Agriculwre. Fe,deral Ministry of Women Affairs, ,National Planning Commission, Nigerian Export Promotion Council; Nigerian Customs Service, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission. etc. The private ,ector organisations including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) , the Nigerian Association of Olarnbers of Commerce, Industries" ~ Mines and Agriculture (NAC-· CrMA), Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nigeria Women Exporters of Services (NWES), etc. were present International organisations such as the UN[FEM , DAD , ActionAid, Oxfam. e~c. were a1so represented. There were also representatives from the electronic and print media in attendance. Setting the Tone In hjs opening remarks, the NANTS President - Ken Ukaoha, intnxluced Trade and Agriculture policies as instruments for nav igat- . ing or providing direction for the manag'ement of the trade and agricultural sectors in order to secure the growth and competitiveness of a given economy. . He noted that the perceived gender insensitivity of both policies·in Nigeria had formed the basis for NANTS commissioning of tl,e study. which outcome will aim at achieving gender equity and equal~ ity as a way to enhance tlle productive potential of the greater population. . He fUlther argued that the exercise is deemed imperative given the dominance of women in the sectors largely dominated by informality. He therefore implored participants to use the opportunity to make useful inputs that will not just help re-shape the Nigerian policy framework but also feed-in to the ECOWAS on-going trade pOlicy making process. In the consultants' opening remarks, Prof. Bola Akanji commended NANTS for the foresight on this initiative, which has grossly been ignored or abandoned as a subject matter on trade and agriculture in Nigeria and ECOWAS, . She generally gave further insight on the need for conducting a
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'We must be protected in IIIis policy process'
gender audit of the Nigerian trade and agriculture po~cies explaining that it is the most viable way of recognising and renecting the conttibutions of different categories of gender on the productive sectors of the economy. She enjoined participants to cease the opportunity provided by NANTS to make valuable contributions to the study and come-up with concrete and unbiased recommendations that wiU be accepted by both the private and pub~!, sector, as w.eU as accommodate the interest of foreign partners. Technical Session In a presentation on Gender AuditoftlleAgriculturaJ Po~cy: Issues and Challenges, Prof. Akanji explained that the methodology used for the work revolved around: Gender Accountability in policy formulation and budgeting processes; Gender Aware Policy and Programme Appraisal; and Gender Outcome Approach.· ' . She explained that the approach used wa< basically interrogating the acclaimed rights approach to gender equality by examining a number of international and national rights and development frameworks. She emphasised that from a development objective, gender equ~ty is fundamental to the actualisation of the nation's development programmes. She explained that in order to do a holistic WOrk, particularly in the face of regional integration in West Africa, tl,e consultants had carried out a ,thorough examination of the new Nigeria Agriculture Policy along sides other national development programmes, regionill agricultural pOlicies like CAADP and ECOWAP. Overal I;the study found that gender articulation in all of these po~- ' cies is non-sufficient. The study hi~ghted several of the chillienges faciog the \!(omen folk for instance, and ended up making suggestions on how to address these challenges, induding: the fact t/iat the nation requires a st"l'd-alone and coherent gender action plan to which· all development policies should feed in: Participants' reactions genemlly identified issues of security of women in trade and agriculture (e.g., concerns were raised on the fights in Jos Plateau State between herdsmen and farmers where 'helpless women and children form the bulk of ultimate victims); sexual ·harassment in cross border trade and the issue of insurance for women as areas were policy review is much needed to address them. 1l1ey also emphasised the need for gender mainstreaming to go beyond just concern with women to assume a broader focus covering children, youths and other disadvantaged group. I'I9f. Akanji" responded that .Olis entire pocket of issues is one that she contemplates to be addressed holistically in a framework - gender action plan GmcIer Audit Presentation In a presentation on Gender Audit of the Nigerian Trade Policy, Dr. (Mrs.) lfenyinwa Ach ike affirmed the same methodology. as detailed by Professor Akanji. . . - She described the Draft Nigerian Trade Po~cy document as clearly gender blind. She specifically noted that the policy document<loe~ not renect any gender sensitive indicator although on almost all issues, it has gender imp~cations. The exercise proceeded using a broad definition of gender, covering women, men, you th and children. Characterising Nigeria's trade , the consultant said it is characterised by low level external trade (intra-regional trade, inter-regional trade and international) resulting in the non-stimulation of industtial development. Women are generaUy unable to compete with their male counte'lJarts in trade activities largely because of several gender insensitive po~cies which limit women productivity capacity. The presenter identified some of the challenges of mainstreaming women into policies as due to sOcio-cultural dynamics of the pattiarchy society which Nigeria finds herseLf, women's iridiJference to rights-based approach to gender issues, insecurity challenges etc.
Recapping the several gender-shortcoming of tl,e policy document, Dr. Achike recommended and asserted that the review of the entire policy document with private sector input is critical if Nigeria is to achieve the MOO goal 3 in particular. For a further update of the study, participants suggested the consultant should look at trade from a domestic n..de and external trade perspective and examine the gender sensitiveness of the inSbUments of those two types of trade. Crucial Recommendations Participants at the forum concluded and recommended the need for a to.tal overhaul of the·Nigeria Trade and Agriculture policies with a view to making them gender sensitive. To them, ·the sensitivity approach to redesigning of the policies must follow' a rights-based standard in order to fall in tune with the International Conventions and the commitments Nigeria has made under su~h frameworks. . According to them. in line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness as well as the Accra Plan of Action on Aid, whi le interventions on HIV/AlDS and other health related interventions are very necessary, the Nigerian government and donor community must however begin to shift emphasis to productive sectors of the economy (represented by Trade and Agriculture which domicile a large population of women and youths) , This. the forum noted. would help stimulate and facilitate productivity, growth and development in these sectors as a sure antidote to poverty, vulnerability to diseases and squalor. "'There is an urgent need for the review Of Nigeria's gender policy in recognition ofthe critical role of the nation's Agriculture and Trade policies in the economy, particularly for wealth creation, and the apparent gender gapS found in ,the policies. There i~ need to break down the high level profile policy issues to the local informal operators especially, the women , most of who are uneducated. 'There is need. for improved statistics/datu gathering at the nation's borders and other ports of entry in Nigeria in ord~r to capwre the can: tri bution of various categories of gender and their impact on the economy for effective policy fonnulation , allocation of resources and other essential planning purposes'·, the participants recommended .• To them, there is need to proportionalise access, inputs, credits, agricultural . transfonnation , entrepreneurship skills deve lopment according to population ratios, gender dominance and contribution to the sectors. "Government, NSAs and the intemational community should ensure ways and means of providing adequate security to women against frequently reported cases of sexual harassments at the borders and on the roads, intimidation , abuse and extortions, as we ll as wanton !tiDings of women and children' (mostly among farming communities) especially among warring communities in Nigeria. 'There is need to eva1uau~ the participation of women in the formulation of trade and agriculture policies. NANTS should on behalf of the Nigeria NSAs communicate ECOWAS to ensure that gender equity is given adequate recognition in the ongoing formulation of the regional trade policy, whi le also ensuring that ECOWAP implementation is gender sensitive in order to realise its objective::;. "Given that women form the bulk of informal sector of the West African economy, and that they are mostly located in the local communities, the ECOWAS Communi ty Development Programme (COP) must therefore take cognisance of Oleir role and conlribution to the region 's economy allocate resources to facilitate development and growth of the ru~ communities", the forum recommended. To the participants, ECOWAS must engage various categories of NSAs in the formulation of her trade policy in order to encourage popular participation, adding that if Nigeria must reduce poverty prevalence, women and even children, who are dependent on incomes accruable from trade and agriCUlture, must therefore be the primruy larget of all such economic related policies.