HIGHLIGHTS FOR DEC ENUGU REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31st,2024
1.
One significant unintended positive effect that happened during this programme was that some of the Chairmen of the traditional ruler’s council of the local government areas now took the opportunity of their meeting day to educate others (traditional rulers) on the relevance of DEC programme in their communities. For example, in Isuikwuato local government area of Abia state where the Traditional ruler of Eluama community is also the Chairman of the Traditonal Rulers’ Council of Isikwuato Local Government Area with more than 30 traditional rulers as members.
2.
This women’s right advocacy and inclusion of women in community governance structures is also talked about during their meeting which takes place once every month at the local government level
3.
The effort of DEC Enugu to ensure functionality of the PHCs in all DEC partnering communities have moved other non-governmental organizations in the area and the Local Government Authority in the area to provide some equipment to the PHCs as was the case in OGBOGBO and OFORACHI in Kogi state and Amaekwuru community in Lokpanta, Abia state.
4.
The change in the policy of governance in Nigeria very much affected the programme in the communities. The high cost of living in Nigeria occasioned by the removal of petroleum subsidy and the time of cash crunch occasioned by the change of naira notes in Nigeria affected the movement of people
5.
However, the leaders of the women and the traditional rulers of the partnering communities ensured that their women participated in the programmes especially in the community meeting which brings toge?ther the women and the men is carried out.
6.
The voluntary work of the community vigilante groups to bring about security where the herders and farmers do have issue was commendable
7.
The training of the women on their rights and how they could demand and protect it opened a lot of areas for the women to challenge the men who have been using tradition and cultural practices to promote injustice against women
8.
The DEC interventions in the community primary Health Centers led to the community people taking ownership of the health facility in their community which was not done before DEC programme in these communities’
B
During this reporting period, the programme suffered the following challenges as a result of the political and government policies in Nigeria which affected all the sectors of the Nigerian people and economy
These include
1. The policy of the removal of fuel subsidy by the present government in Nigeria in May 2023 affected the economy of majority of the people especially those living in the rural communities
2. High rate of inflation in Nigeria that biting hard on the people and their livelihood ventures
3. The herders and farmers crisis also affected the smooth
implementation of the programmes in some of the rural communities of Kogi and the cases of kidnaping in some states of the south east Nigeria
4. The government policy which mandated the PHC staff to go every day to the local government headquarters to sign-in,
in the morning and go back in the evening to sign out affects the smooth functioning of the PHCs as witnessed in Abia state
5. The get rich quick among the youths is an issue for the children and youth to engage in skills training
•
The women of Oforachi in Kogi state, who are members of the Community governing council ensured that women in the community now have equal right with men in the buying of palm fruits from the community palm plantation which before now was the prerogative right of the men only
The setting up of the PIC comprising of TEN women leaders and FIVE men from the Traditional Rulers Council, Town Development Union and Community Security Outfit, under the leadership of TWO Conveners. This team (as project Carriers) mobilizes the community members for engagement and contributes to project management at the community level . The existence of PIC in each partner community is appropriate for the community participation in Development; which DEC adopts to ensure that participants are objects and subjects of development and not docile recepients of external assistance. This also provides much needed institutional structure for engaging the community and ensuring growth and sustainability. We believe that this PIC members are held accountable in actions of the community towards implementation of DEC Assisted development Programmes.
C
Women and men have increasingly become aware of women’s right and also advocate for adherence of same. However there still exist cases of GVBs and violence against women and girls across the communities due to vulnerabilities connected to low level education of women and poor economic status of women in these communities/
-Women have been included in key governance structures of the communities, and some of these women in the council and Town Union Executives are assigned to specific positions of responsibility.
-Women have been included in key governance structures of the communities, and some of these women in the council and Town Union Executives are assigned to specific positions of responsibility.
- Inauguration and commitment of the Project Implementation Committees (PIC)members who work with the Traditional rulers and Community President Generals remain the key determinant to the success or failure of DEC projects across the 25 DEC Partner communities.
- The Introduction of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from inception of the project implementation between DEC Enugu and Stake holders of the Partner communities contributed to the development goal for the MOU shows measurable roles of the PIC members in the Partnership
- More than 12 Primary Health Centres in these Partner communities found dilapidated and not functional are now made functional through DEC Intervention of Access to basic quality health care services in these rural communities.
- 65 Percent of female youths and 95% of unskilled young mothers who acquired appropriate skills and were supported with starter packs and money to support their business are now financially self reliant. This contributed to economic empowerment of un skilled young mothers in these communities.
However, DEC Interventions in these communities continued to be threatened by 3 critical factors;
1. The Entrenched tradition, religions (Islamic religion) and cultural practices in many communities which frown at placing women in leadership positions particularly on issues dealing with traditions and culture of the community where women are not expected to participate, or at least participate as observers. This is seen more in North central states like KOGI State where Islamic religion interacts with long established culture of Northern Nigeria which abhors women in critical traditional matters and in leadership positions
2. The second factor is male chauvinism; where most men in these communities see DEC programmes as having nothing to do with the menfolk and that it is meant to elevate the women to the detriment of the m folk.
3. The third factor is the over bloated expectation by the beneficiary communities, where DEC as an NGO should unilaterally provide every thing needed to meet the development needs of the communities without their involvement and participation morally and materially.
D
Women and men have increasingly become aware of women’s right and also advocate for adherence of same. However there still exist cases of GVBs and violence against women and girls across the communities due to vulnerabilities connected to low level education of women and poor economic disadvantages.
Women and men have increasingly become aware of women’s right and also advocate for adherence of same. However there still exist cases of GVBs and violence against women and girls across the communities due to vulnerabilities connected to low level education of women and poor economic disadvantages.
-Women have been included in key governance structures of the communities, and some of these women in the council and Town Union Executives are assigned to specific positions of responsibility.
- Inauguration and commitment of the Project Implementation Committees (PIC)members who work with the Traditional rulers and Community President Generals remain the key determinant to the success or failure of DEC projects across the communities
E
- The Introduction of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from inception of the project implementation between DEC Enugu and Stake holders of the Partner communities contributed to the development goal for the MOU shows measurable roles of the PIC members in the Partnership
- More than 12 Primary Health Centres in these Partner communities found dilapidated and not functional are now made functional through DEC Intervention of Access to basic quality health care services in these rural communities.
- 65 Percent of female youths and 95% of unskilled young mothers who acquired appropriate skills and were supported with starter packs and money to support their business are now financially self reliant. This contributed to economic empowerment of young mothers.
-women are not expected to participate, or at least participate as observers. This is seen more in North central states like KOGI State where Islamic religion interacts with long established culture of
Northern Nigeria which abhors women in critical traditional matters and in leadership positions
- The second factor is male chauvinism; where most men in these communities see DEC programmes as having nothing to do with the menfolk and that it is meant to elevate the women to the detriment of the mele folk.
- The third factor is the over bloated expectation by the beneficiary communities, where DEC as an NGO should unilaterally provide every thing needed to meet the development needs of the communities without their involvement and participation morally and materially.
F
THE ADVANCE OF MICRO CREDIT TO HARD-TO-REACH RURAL WOMEN AND CONSTANT CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THESE WOMEN BY DEC SIGNIFICANTLY EMPOWERD RURAL WOMEN IN COMMUNITIES TO LEARN A VOCATION WHILE HAVING ACCESS TO CREDIT WHICH ENABLE THEM ENGAGE IN MICRO ENTERPRISES AND EARN INCOME FOR THEMSELVES AND CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES’ NEED IS A PANACEA FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.
-RELEVANT AND APPROPRIATE SKILLS ACQUISITIONS AND CAPACITY BUILDING OF WOMEN INCLUDING ACCESS TO MICRO CREDIT HAVE PROVED TO BE A VITAL WEALTH CREATION AND EMPOWERMENT STRATEGY FOR RURAL WOMEN WHICH SHOULD BE SCALED UP AND REPLICATED 5 YEARS AND BEYOND. THIS WILL BE WELL IMPLEMENTED WITH THE WOMEN-IN-TRADE AND COMMERCE, THROUGH USING COMMUNITY BASED WOMEN ORGANISATIONS AND DEC COMMUNITY PIC MEMBERS AS A FUNCTIONAL PLATFORM FOR THIS ECONOMIC INTERVENTION IN EACH DEC PARTNER COMMUNITY. FOR AN EFFECTIVE MICRO CREDIT SCHEME THAT WILL BE SUSTAINABLE FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
‘FOR THERE IS NO VOICE WITHOUT ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT” SAYS ADA EKENE; THE WINNER OF DEC’ ANNUAL WOMEN ENTREPRENUER AWARD FOR 2015
G
- More than 12 Primary Health Centres in these Partner communities found dilapidated and not functional are now made functional through DEC Intervention of Access to basic quality health care services in these rural communities.
- 65 Percent of female youths and 95% of unskilled young mothers who acquired appropriate skills and were supported with starter packs and money to support their business are now financially self reliant. This contributed to economic empowerment of young mothers