Women for Change Initiative: Implications for National Development in Nigeria

Women for change initiative programme were initiated during Jonathan administration aimed at raising the standard Nigerian women to eliminate discrimination and eradicate poverty. This initiative review and revise laws considered inimical to the welfare of women, such as tax laws, land use act of 1976, marriage laws, inheritance act, electoral act; issues of high mortality rate and child right act. Women are naturally endowed with sterling leadership qualities as resilient family and society builders. Over the years, few women have been entrusted with managerial role but they have proved their worth to perform above board. It is no longer news that women are relegated as reproductive machines and home makers. Little did we know that training women is as good as training a nation because they are viable instrument to achieve national development. The struggle to change the perspectives of men about society through their lens to destroy male biased images on gender and sexism. The paper argues that the problem of gender disparity in Nigeria compound the capacity problem required in enhancing the accommodation male and female. Gender equality in Nigeria has been time barred due to multi-dimensional factors. Using descriptive approach there are some daunting challenges to achieve this laudable objective in discourse of this paper. This will be actualized when women empowerment is addressed with pragmatic approach to enhance national development.

Keywords: Women, National Development, Gender, prostitute, slavery