Women network leaders under the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development (FG/IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) have called for stronger government support for their farming activities, while urging authorities to intensify efforts against the increasing levels of child trafficking and early marriage among girls in the state.
The women said access to government officials remained critical to their efforts to draw attention to challenges affecting their communities, particularly agricultural support, women’s welfare and the protection of girls and children.
They spoke in Bida, Niger State, during a capacity-building programme organised by VCDP-IFAD for women, youth and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) network leaders on advocacy and lobbying to influence change.
The participants said they had succeeded in meeting some leaders and received responses to issues presented, but had been unable to secure meetings with some other state and local government authorities.
According to the women leaders, one of the major issues they want to take to the government is the need for greater support for women farmers to enable them to expand their agricultural activities, improve production and contribute more effectively to their families and communities.
They also identified child trafficking and early marriage among girls as issues requiring urgent attention, particularly through stronger collaboration between the government, community networks and other relevant stakeholders.
The leaders said grassroots women networks were in a better position to identify challenges affecting women and girls and should therefore be given opportunities to engage directly with decision-makers.
Hajarat T. Mohammed and Priscilla Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of the women network, said continued engagement with the government would help turn issues raised at the community level into concrete interventions.
They stressed that advocacy should not end with raising concerns, but should lead to constructive engagement capable of influencing policies, resource allocation and programmes that directly benefit women and vulnerable groups.
For the PWD network, the advocacy training was also seen as an opportunity to strengthen engagements with organisations and government institutions, with some leaders saying they had already received favourable responses from organisations they approached.
Also, Muhammad Abubakar Enagi, Chairman of E.I. People with Disabilities Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd., commended VCDP for including farmers with disabilities in the programme, saying the inclusion had strengthened their confidence to participate in advocacy and decision-making processes.
Similarly, the State Rural Institution Gender Mainstreaming Officer of VCDP, Hajiya Maimuna Abubakar Ahmed, said the training was designed to help the networks analyse stakeholders and engage decision-makers through constructive dialogue.
She said the capacity-building would enable women, youth and PWD networks to advocate more effectively for policies, resources and regulatory actions that address their needs.