The International Labour Organization (ILO), in conjunction with the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), has launched the Women Entrepreneurs Self-Check (WE-Check) action plan to implement gender-responsive initiatives to better target and broaden representation.
The project would also promote gender equality and formalization in Nigeria through the development of women’s entrepreneurship.
It is a method of encouraging organizations that provide services through Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to focus more on women to boost business and address their difficulties.
Dr. Obiageli Nwobi, ILO Facilitator, stated that the project’s goal, which will run from August 2021 to April 2023, is to enable NECA and NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) to adopt gender-responsive measures to better target and serve women entrepreneurs, as well as to broaden representation in both the association and the network.
She stated that the action plan included a detailed assessment of women’s needs, concerns, and preferences, as well as issue-based regulations that safeguard women, such as gender harassment.
“With improved offerings, members may be eligible to join NECA, a broader commercial platform.” The method is intended to be mutually advantageous to the organization that performs it.
The action plan will qualify NECA-certificate ILOs for accreditation as a women-friendly organizations. “It’s a win-win situation for women entrepreneurs and the organization that’s putting it in place,” she says.
Adewale Oyerinde, Director-General of NECA, who was represented by Celine Oni, Director of Learning and Development, said the plan will proceed in accordance with the timeframe, assuring the ILO that it was fully on the ground to guarantee the action plan was implemented.
Furthermore, Funmilayo Arowoogun, President of NNEW, stated that the self-assessment tool was designed to improve the ability of women and their companies.
She listed difficulties such as ease of doing business, funding challenges, policy summersault, and insecurity as some of the challenges that women entrepreneurs face.
