The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is set to collaborate with USAID and the World Bank to finance a large-scale programme for disability and women empowerment in the country.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, who announced this in Washington DC said it is part of the package of takeaways and successes achieved by the Ministry during the US-Nigeria Bi-national Commission meeting held on February 3-4, 2020, in Washington DC, the United States.
The disability and women empowerment programme will especially cater for the welfare of the disabled in the country and vulnerable women. The programme will be run in concert with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.
The programme, the Minister stressed would be delivered through the conditional cash transfers, which is targeted at the most vulnerable segment of the society.
Hajiya Sadiya said that her Ministry will work with the World Bank to convene a conference on disability and women empowerment led by the Federal government, FMHADMSD, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and other relevant MDAS and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The Minister explained that the Ministry is working to sharpen the modalities for implementing the programme on disability and women empowerment programme.
“The Ministry and the World Bank Mission in Nigeria will convene a meeting to discuss modalities and areas to reallocate funds within the International Development Association (IDA) to focus on programmes for disability and women empowerment,” she emphasized.
It can be recalled that the media in Nigeria widely reported that the United States Government had pledged humanitarian assistance worth US$40million for Nigeria in 2020, while USAID was willing to contribute to the process of early recovery, after the Ministry meets some conditions.
The Minister held meetings with USAID, World Bank and US Institute for Peace (USIP), all of which identified areas for collaboration and various forms of support for the Ministry.
“They expressed willingness to share experience and research with regards to the programmes of the Ministry,” she said.
According to the Minister, they similarly expressed willingness to share experience and research outcomes in the critical areas of post-conflict recovery and community reintegration and resettlement.
She added: “They are willing to provide technical support and resources in building a coordination framework amongst all MDAs for quick take-off of the Ministry.”
To kick-start the programmes, a meeting has been set up for next week with Mrs Oge Onubogu, the Senior Programme Officer, Africa at the USIP to commence collaboration in information and experience sharing with the Ministry’s technical working group.
In addition to the collaborative meeting with the USIP Senior Programme Officer for Africa, the Ministry will hold a follow up meeting with the World Bank representatives in Abuja.
Halima Oyelade
SA, Media
