Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Kennedy has recognised the development Research and Projects Center, (dRPC), with a National Medal for outstanding contribution to Women’s Economic Empower, (WEE), and its contribution to policy development in Nigeria.
Presenting the award to the Center at the just concluded 23rd National Council on Women Affairs in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, Barrister Kennedy said the dRPC led Partnership for Advancing Women’s Economic Development, (PAWED), has brought tremendous reforms and recognition in the area of WEE and has impacted on major policies affecting women and the economy in Nigeria.
She said ‘’The recognition bestowed upon the dRPC-PAWED by the National Council on Women’s Affairs is a testament to their exceptional dedication and impact. It highlights the pivotal role of civil society organizations in driving positive change and transforming women’s lives in Nigeria. This recognition will undoubtedly inspire other organizations and stakeholders to support women’s economic empowerment initiatives nationwide.’
She adds that the award signifies the organisation’s unwavering commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria through the launching of the WEE policy and its other support to the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs.
Responding, Executive Director, dRPC, Dr. Judith-Ann Walker said women’s empowerment has become a crucial agenda in Nigeria’s development landscape and aims to address disparities, promote gender-inclusive economic growth, and foster an enabling environment for women-owned businesses to thrive.
Represented by the Director of Projects in the Center, Dr. Stanley Ukpai, she said recognizing the potential and talent of Nigerian women entrepreneurs, the federal ministry of women affairs, alongside its partners, initiated the WEE policy to provide a comprehensive framework for women’s economic advancement.
‘’Amidst the formulation and implementation of the Women’s Economic Empowerment policy, the dRPC and PAWED played a pivotal role in supporting the federal ministry of women Affairs.
“This demonstrated its commitment to gender equality and women’s rights by actively engaging in advocacy to raise awareness about the importance of women’s economic empowerment among policymakers, civil society, and focus groups.
In a communique signed by dRPC’s Director, Partnerships Development and Communication, Alhassan Karofi, the executive director noted that “To strengthen evidence base policy formulation, PAWED provided research on various aspects of women’s economic empowerment, analysing the barriers women face in accessing credit, markets, and entrepreneurship opportunities and providing valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.’’
