Women leaders seek more govt support for farming, action on child trafficking, early marriage in Niger

Women leaders from the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development (FG/IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) Value Chain Development Programme have called for increased government support for their farming activities. They also urged authorities to intensify efforts against the growing issue of child trafficking and early marriage among girls in Niger State.

Access to government officials is crucial for their efforts to highlight challenges in their communities, especially concerning agricultural support, women's welfare, and the protection of girls and children. During a capacity-building program organized by VCDP-IFAD, women, youth, and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) network leaders discussed the need for greater government support to enable women farmers to expand their activities, improve production, and contribute more effectively to their families and communities.

Child trafficking and early marriage were also identified as urgent issues requiring stronger collaboration between the government, community networks, and other stakeholders. The leaders emphasized the importance of continued engagement with the government to turn community-level issues into concrete interventions. They stressed that advocacy should lead to constructive engagement capable of influencing policies, resource allocation, and programs benefiting women and vulnerable groups.

PWD network leaders expressed their satisfaction with the advocacy training, which helped strengthen their engagements with organizations and government institutions. The inclusion of farmers with disabilities in the program boosted their confidence in participating in advocacy and decision-making processes. Hajiya Maimuna Abubakar Ahmed, State Rural Institution Gender Mainstreaming Officer of VCDP, highlighted that the training aimed to help networks analyze stakeholders and engage decision-makers through constructive dialogue, enabling them to advocate more effectively for policies, resources, and regulatory actions addressing their needs.