The Better Life Programme for the African Rural Woman was initiated in September 1986 by Dr. (Mrs.) Maryam Babangida when, as the wife of the Head of State, she championed women issues vigorously. She sought to improve the quality of life and status of the rural women: by creating awareness in women and encourage them to realize, utilize and develop their potentials for a more fulfilling life … (full text Homepage).
Programmes; Events & Announcements; Research & Advocacy;
Addresses: Better Life Programme for the African Rural Woman LPARW, Plot 122A Adetokunmbo Ademola, Crescent, Behind OTI Carpets, Wuse II, Abuja, Nigeria;
Contacts.
About: The United Nations Decade for Women (1975 – 85) served as a catalyst in focusing attention on issues confronting women world wide. In Nigeria, the decade meant very little to the teaming majority of women especially those in rural areas. It was clear that there need to address the situation of rural women. Increasingly and diverse dimensions, poverty was becoming feminized.
The alleviation of poverty has generally been the cornerstone of economic policy of successive administration in Nigeria. Over the years government at all levels has conceived and implemented several socio economic policies and programmes to eliminate rural poverty and to create prosperity with varying degree of success. The Better Life Programme for the Rural Woman was one of the numerous strategic institutional approaches put in place to solve some of the identified challenges facing a considerable portion of our population …
… Objectives (scroll down):
- To raise the social consciousness of women about their right and roles, as well as their social, political and economic responsibilities.
- To sensitize, motivate and mobilize women for a more positive and fulfilling life
- To encourage women to work together for better understanding and the resolution of their problems.
- To give basic education and train women in various skills and techniques to enable them to understand and participate more effectively in programs and activities in their communities.
- To encourage, solicit, and strongly support, programs and public policies and government action on matters of gender equity and equality, women empowerment, political participation in governance – local, state, and national – , human rights and health issues.
- To seek, encourage, and support, credible and qualified women civil society organization for avid participation in the design, implementation and monitoring/evaluation of macro-economic reforms and politics and development administration;
- To collaborate with government, donor and international non-governmental organizations to organize conferences, workshops and seminars and generate knowledge products that will facilitate knowledge on current best practices and lessons of experience in gender mainstreaming in government and budgetary procedures.
BETTER LIFE PROGRAMME GOALS:
- Striving to eradicate hunger and absolute poverty among rural dwellers particularly women through economic empowerment ventures;
- Encouraging agricultural related programmes that have huge trade and investment potentials through strengthening of cooperative societies;
- Eliminating gender disparity in economic, social, and political life of women.
- Facilitating easier access to education and training in skills acquisition and training of trainers (TOT)
- Advocating for qualitative healthcare, food and nutrition, potable water, clean and peaceful environment.
- Promoting the active participation of women in governance and other social spheres of life.
- Advocating for better governance at all levels and leadership training.
- Improving on communication and information technology
- Encouraging trade between states and nations thereby creating market outlet opportunities for more income
- Strengthening research activities of women that would catalyze into national and global policies for collective empowerment.
BLPARW try to achieve these objectives by organizing National/Regional sensitization seminars, Workshops and conferences to educate the women in the various ways to enhance and sustain their economic well -being.
Find below the recent projects and activities embarked upon in the year 2005 and summary of projects earmarked for the first half of the year 2006 …
… ACCESS TO MICRO-CREDITS:
- LPARW also provides access to micro-credits to rural women by partnering with gender sensitive philanthropists and other local individual donors for sponsorship to improve the socio economic status of the rural woman and the economic well being of the entire family.