Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has declared open the first Kaduna State Women Economic Empowerment Summit 2024 and chaired the launch of three innovative and inclusive policies.
Speaking at the event on Friday, the governor said the “summit embodies our collective commitment to fostering an environment where every woman in Kaduna State can thrive, contribute, and prosper.
“Empowering women is not just a moral imperative, it is an economic necessity. When we invest in women, we invest in the future of our communities, our economy, and our state.
“While making my remarks, I highlighted some of the efforts of our administration in improving the state’s economic landscape and ensuring the financial viability of women in the state. Some of the efforts are as follows;
* Empowerment of 5,000 women and girls in Kaduna State with skills in data science, Artificial Intelligence and entrepreneurial applications of digital technologies. This is in partnership with Google Africa.
* Supporting 8,649 nano and micro businesses with grants to expand their business operations.
* Supporting 4,912 underserved women across the state through the A Kori Talauchi program.
* Over 65, 848 women, out of a total of 70,051, have benefitted from our Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme.
* So far, 10,786 women have benefitted from the N200 million Kaduna State Women Economic Empowerment Funds (KADSWEF).
* We have trained over 5,000 rural/ semi urban women on large scale rice shelling using modern agricultural techniques.
* Over 120 women and Adolescent Girls were equipped with various Vocational and Entrepreneurship Development Skills.
I also launched the Kaduna State Women Economic Empowerment Policy, alongside the Women Peace and Security Action Plan, and Youth Peace and Security Action Plan. Kaduna State has always been a beacon of hope for women empowerment, youth inclusion and security advancement in Nigeria. Our vision has consistently placed women and youth at the forefront of our development agenda.
The various partner organizations, UN Women, UNICEF, UNDP, DevAfrique, DRPC, and Norwegian High Commission commended the Kaduna State Government for prioritizing empowerment of women and bridging the gender gap in economic and social development. I appreciate them for their tireless efforts and support for the Kaduna State Government.
I seized the opportunity to call on private sector partners, development organizations, community leaders, and every citizen to take ownership of this agenda. When women succeed, we all succeed. Let us create a Kaduna State where every girl knows she has the right and the means to dream and achieve, and where every woman knows that she is valued, supported, and celebrated.
