From Taiye Joseph Ilorin
Kwara State has inaugurated a Project Steering Committee, under the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership (RWVL) Nigeria Project, signalling a fresh drive to expand women’s participation in leadership, strengthen women’s rights organisations and improve economic opportunities for women across the state.
The committee, made up of representatives from government, civil society, development organisations and the private sector, is expected to provide strategic oversight for the implementation of the project while promoting stronger collaboration among key stakeholders.
Speaking at the inauguration in Ilorin, the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC), Dr. Christy Abayomi-Oluwole, described the committee as a catalyst for advancing gender equality and sustainable development in Kwara.
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“Today’s inauguration is not merely the beginning of another committee; it is the beginning of a stronger movement for women’s leadership, rights, voice and economic empowerment in Kwara State,” she said.
According to her, the committee will establish governance and accountability structures, improve coordination among partners and develop strategies that will sustain the initiative beyond the lifespan of donor funding.
Abayomi-Oluwole commended ActionAid Nigeria, Global Affairs Canada, the Government of Canada, government agencies, civil society organisations and the media for supporting the initiative.
She noted that GLOHWOC was selected to lead the implementation of the RWVL Nigeria Project in Kwara, because of its institutional strength, grassroots presence and longstanding commitment to promoting the rights of women and girls.
Reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to transparency, accountability and inclusion, she pledged that the project would ensure that no woman is left behind.
The GLOHWOC boss stressed that sustainable impact would require stronger women’s organisations and increased financial independence for women, identifying shea butter processing, cassava and groundnut processing, Adire and Aso-Oke production, as well as agro-processing, as sectors capable of creating wealth through value addition, branding, improved market access and digital commerce.
“We need to build systems that continue to create impact long after project funding has ended. Strong organisations will continue serving women long after the project,” she said.
She also urged greater collaboration among state ministries, local government councils, financial institutions, research bodies, cooperatives, development partners and private sector players to expand access to funding, markets and business opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
The committee is also expected to strengthen women’s cooperatives, improve access to finance, identify advocacy priorities and encourage greater community ownership of the project.
As part of its immediate action plan, members agreed to establish communication channels, develop an annual work plan, identify key advocacy issues and convene the committee’s first quarterly review meeting.
The inauguration ended with a renewed call on stakeholders to champion the objectives of the RWVL Nigeria Project in their institutions and communities.
“Together, let us ensure that every woman has a voice, every girl has an opportunity, and every community benefits from inclusive and sustainable development,” Abayomi-Oluwole said.
