By Roland Ike
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has urged traditional rulers and religion leaders in Ebonyi State to ensure women in their domains are economically empowered.
Sunday Ituma, State Programme Coordinator (SPC) of IFAD-VCDP, made the call on Tuesday during a sensitisation programme for traditional rulers and religious leaders on women empowerment.
Ituma said that the programme was IFAD-VCDP’s approach to addressing challenges and factors miliitating against women empowerment in various communities across the state.
“We recognise the critical role women play in economic advancement of societies and also, the challenges impeding against such advancement.
“We also recognise the critical roles traditional rulers and religious leaders play in sensitisations and we hope to leverage on this to enhance women’s economic wellbeing.”
He identified the factors militating against women empowerment in rural areas to include access to land, access to economic resources among others.
“The programme realises that women don’t get equal rights with men in the communities despite the various affirmative actions.
“We are not for requesting a 50–5O situation but an improvement on the rights of women.”
The Ebonyi Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mrs Nkechinyere Iyioku commended IFAD-VCDP for the programme noting that the sensitisation will improve the economic lots of women in localities.
Iyioku represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Mr Fidelis Nwankwo said that access to lands would allow women improve on their families’ nutritional wellbeing.
“They can do this by cultivating vegetables among other.crops in gardens.
“This will also assist them enhance their economic wellbeing as IFAD-VCDP has excelled in living up to its mandates.
“We visit the various sites of IFAD-VCDP’s intervention and confirm they judiciously utilise the grants they receive.”
Mrs Francisca Anya, the Rural Institution Gender Youth Mainstreaming Officer of IFAD-VCDP said the traditional rulers would play a vital role because they are leaders of communities where women reside.
“We urge them to make deliberate policies to include women and allow them occupy leadership positions in communities.
“They should also not fight harmful practices which impede the economic potentials of women to contribute meaningfully to the society.”
HRH Dominic Aloh, Traditional Ruler of Amagu Community of Ikwo Local Governments Area of Ebonyi, said that the traditional institution in the state recognises the need to accommodate women in the scheme of things.
“I in particular, allocated lands to my daughters as the women folk forms an integral part of every society.”

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