Japanese agency develops capacity training programme for women entrepreneurs
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced its plan to develop a training programme that will focus on empowering women entrepreneurs in Nigeria and other countries in the continent. The overall objective of this programme is to increase and support women’s participation and success in the private sector in the country.
Emiko Mikami, project formulation, JICA Nigeria, disclosed this during the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)-organised event entitled, ‘’Gender Mainstreaming in Private Sector Development’’ held last Thursday in Lagos.
According to Mikami, the programme is in line with the vision of JICA to support human resources and socio-economic development in order to facilitate the autonomous and sustainable development of emerging economies like Nigeria, citing the case of 2010 and 2011 when the organisation provided technical assistance to the small- and medium- scale enterprises (SMEs) in line with ‘One Local Government One Product’ initiative, as a demonstration of its resolve to promote the Nigerian economy.
‘’You will agree with me that without the necessary skills, women will not be able to compete with their male counterparts,’’ Mikami, who represented Tetsuo Seki, chief representative, JICA, said.
‘’Therefore, our focus is on skills development for the private sector, with the ultimate goal of providing adequate human resources for private sector development in the country,’’ she said.
She further cited the Global Gender Gap Report of 2013 which placed Japan and Nigeria on 105 and 106 respectively as a source of worry and basis for cooperation given that in both countries, the proportion of women in business management is lowest.
In his address, Remi Bello, president, LCCI, in order to increase gender mainstreaming of women in the private sector, there is the need to increase access to finance for start-up and working capital, challenges of skills and challenges of access to market.
According to Bello, gender parity advocates should go beyond the issue of 35 percent women inclusion in elective or appointed positions and look at issues affecting women in both formal and informal sectors, stressing that the character or working life especially in the cities is already taking its toll on the quality of parenting in many homes.
Bello commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its gender-friendly SME financing policy, adding that the recently unveiled N220 billion SME fund which earmarks 60 percent of fund for women is highly commendable, while calling on all stakeholders to encourage greater gender participation in the country’s economic life.
ODINAKA ANUDU