{"id":7020,"date":"2015-11-20T17:54:51","date_gmt":"2015-11-20T17:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/africlub.net\/awdf\/?p=7020"},"modified":"2015-11-23T13:57:41","modified_gmt":"2015-11-23T13:57:41","slug":"african-womens-development-fund-validates-market-womens-research-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awdf.org\/OldSite\/african-womens-development-fund-validates-market-womens-research-study\/","title":{"rendered":"African Women\u2019s Development Fund Validates Research Study on Market Women in Four West African Countries"},"content":{"rendered":"

PRESS RELEASE <\/b><\/p>\n

19th November 2015<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

African Women\u2019s Development Fund validates Market Women\u2019s Research Study: <\/b>Accelerating the Contributions of Market Women to National and Regional Development in West Africa<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Accra, GHANA – The African Women\u2019s Development Fund (AWDF) has called on West African governments to enact policies supporting market women at both national and regional levels following a new report analysing conditions of market women in four West African countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

The report entitled \u201cAccelerating the Contributions of Market Women to National and Regional Development in West Africa,\u201d is based on field research of market women in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. It aims to boost support for market women and to recognize the pivotal role they play as development stakeholders on the continent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis study represents yet another milestone in achieving gender justice for those women who still experience marginalization despite their immense contributions to the economies of their countries,\u201d Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said in the report\u2019s foreword.<\/span><\/p>\n

The study identifies three main channels through which market women can strengthen their \u00a0voice and advocate for policy changes: \u00a0internal market associations; mainstream labour organizations and national and regional advocacy and rights-based organizations. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The report singles out development partners as being particularly well placed to support market women by enhancing their coalitions and network-building. In this regard, the fact that market women serve as an integral part of the expanding informal economy in countries across West Africa, and in some cases trade beyond their national borders, presents opportunities for enhancing their contributions to regional development, the report said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The report recommends the adoption of a \u201cregional lens\u201d relevant for policy formulation in the interests of market women. Whilst acknowledging the significance of the launch of the Ecowas Free-Trade area in 2010, the report nonetheless calls for additional policy interventions to streamline cross-border trading procedures and address specific challenges facing women who are engaged in this trade.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other recommendations included supporting the establishment of a West African market women\u2019s association to facilitate on-going dialogue with policymakers, expanding and adapting the SMWF model to the four countries to respond to some of the challenges identified by market women through the research study, investing in training for market women leaders, and the institution of a scholarship scheme for children of market women.<\/span><\/p>\n

The report was conducted by a team commissioned by the African Women\u2019s Development Fund, in cooperation with the Sirleaf Market Women\u2019s Fund and was funded by the Ford Foundation \/West Africa. \u00a0In addition the team received technical and institutional support from the \u00a0African Women\u2019s Development Fund.<\/span><\/p>\n