Introduction
Nigeria faces a range of economic challenges which significantly impact the rights and well-being of women and children. These challenges create barriers that prevent women from achieving financial independence and impede gender equality with the male folks. In Nigeria, the economic struggles faced by women, which extend to their children, include widespread poverty, illiteracy, unemployment or underemployment, lack of access to financial services, inadequate representation in politics, lack of access to quality education, gender discrimination, cultural and religious discrimination as well as inadequate social services. I need to say that the list is endless. Women and children in Nigeria fall within the vulnerable population. They are easily and more often negatively impacted by vices, be it political, economic, or social. It is emphasized that whatever the challenge facing a Nigerian woman may be, it will negatively impact her child. Severing a woman from her child is a challenge in itself. The bond between a woman and her child is profound, perhaps because of their link through the umbilical cord. Therefore, the reference in this paper to the Nigerian woman with her economic challenges is a reference to the Nigerian child’s economic challenge, and vice versa.
Poverty is about the biggest challenge bedeviling Nigerian women. Presently, Nigeria is categorized as one of the countries facing serious economic crises, with a greater percentage of its population living below the poverty line of less than $1 per day/person. It is indisputable that poverty remains a key factor and a great barrier to the economic growth of women and children in Nigeria. In Nigeria, a large percentage of women is engaged in the informal sector of the workforce, where there is little or no guarantee of job security. The informal sector of our economy includes businesses that are not registered and fully regulated by the government. The informal sector includes the market women who engage in the day-to-day sale of commodities in the regular markets, the street vendors, the subsistence farmers, the small-scale manufacturers, and the service providers like the hairdressers, tailors, etc. Very recently, the Point of Sale (POS) operators have keyed into this sector. Low wages, limited job security, and a lack of legal protection characterize the informal sector of the Nigerian economy. The informal sector is not a job where the proprietor expects pension payment or gratuity on retirement. More often, the lifespan of this nature of jobs is tied to that of the sole proprietor or the establisher. I noted earlier that a large number of women are engaged in the informal sector, and there is little or no opportunity for them to break away from the poverty cycle. For women, poverty often leads to economic dependence on the male folks. Poverty tends to limit a woman’s decision-making powers and access to other economic resources.
Another reason Nigerian women struggle economically, which is closely linked to poverty, is a lack of financial empowerment or inability to access financial assistance where the same exists. In situations where women have access to financial empowerment, the empowerment is hardly adequate for a turnaround fortune for her and her family. Financial empowerment, where available and readily accessible, ameliorates the harsh effects of the economic challenges faced by Nigerian women. When a woman is financially empowered, there will be improvement in her overall life qualities. When women have the opportunity to have a good quality of life, that life will necessarily and positively impact their children's and their families' lives. Financial empowerment in Nigerian women has the potential to boost economic growth and economic diversification, reduce poverty, and improve the quality of their income, and the same will translate to prosperity for her and her family. Studies have shown that financially empowering a woman promotes her sense of self-worth, her ability to independently make choices, and her right to influence social change for herself and her family. There is a truism in the saying that when women are empowered, society prospers, and progress becomes a shared reality.
Thirdly, lack of formal and/or quality education is another economic challenge inhibiting the economic growth of Nigerian women and their children. The vast majority of Nigerian women, especially those in rural communities and some in urban settlements, either lack formal education or are inadequately educated. The importance of formal education in breaking even economically cannot be overemphasized. Education for women and children provides them with the needed skills and confidence to fully integrate and participate in society, and this, in turn, spurs them to make informed and beneficial decisions. Being educated as a woman and a child gives that aura of confidence, independence, and a sense of self-worth. It gives them the needed boost to face life challenges that they may encounter. Educated women are more likely to have better-paying jobs, and where that is the case, it can lead to improved economic security for them, their children, and their families.
It cannot be disputed that educated women are more likely to establish mentally, physically, and well-nourished children who can take their place in the country and the world in general. Educated women and children are more proactive and productive in their lives and communities. The decision to educate a woman in Nigeria must start when she is a girl child. Educating the girl child is the foundation for sound economic and social development. Educating the girl child produces educated mothers who will, in turn, ensure that their children are educated. There is a popular saying that a girl is a gift of nature; educate her for a brighter future. The above postulation is also true for the boy child. Education is the key to a viable economy.
Lack of access to quality healthcare and proper nutrition has clogged women's and children’s economic growth. Access to quality healthcare should be a basic need for women and children in Nigeria. The position is the same with access to proper nutrition, especially in children. The importance of quality healthcare and proper nutrition in women's overall well-being and their children's development cannot be downplayed. Unfortunately, there is a great lack of basic human needs, especially in children. Health, they say, is wealth. A healthy nation is a wealthy one. It cannot be disputed that every individual needs access to quality healthcare and good nutrition, but it must be emphasized that the lack of these basics affects more women and children. By nature, women are easily susceptible to certain ailments and diseases. The situation is not different for the children, especially during their formative ages. Access to quality healthcare for women has the effect of drastically preventing or detecting some life-threatening but preventable illnesses such as breast and ovarian cancer as well as other serious ailments. The same cannot be ruled out for the children. Research has shown that children below the age of five are vulnerable and likely to die of malaria if not properly treated or taken care of medically. There is no gainsaying that a developing child needs a balanced diet for his overall development and mental alertness. Women also need proper nutrition if they must avoid being susceptible to diseases and ailments. The right nutrition in women could help them maintain healthy weight as they age. Proper nutrition in women boosts their energy levels and reduces their risk potential for certain chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Lack of access to quality healthcare and poor nutrition can negatively impact the children's overall development, well-being, and future societal status and standing.
High unemployment or underemployment rate is another factor that breeds economic barriers for Nigerian women. Unemployment or underemployment is prevalent, particularly among women and young people. Unemployment or underemployment tends to keep women in a state of economic insecurity with a reduced and restricted income, lack of financial autonomy, and inability to protect their rights or provide for their families, especially the children.
Economic instability as a challenge to women's development is also reinforced in the forms of gender-based violence and inequality. In times of economic stress, women are more likely to experience domestic violence, trafficking, and sexual exploitation. Economic dependence on their male partners makes it difficult for many women to escape abusive relationships. Children, especially girls, are often caught in the cycles of violence, early marriage, and other forms of exploitation. Gender-based violence is a significant economic challenge for Nigerian women and the nation as a whole. Research has it that women in abusive households are more likely to be less productive economically. Gender-based violence is a reinforcement of the existence of gender inequality, and this tends to limit women’s autonomy and economic opportunities in life. In some Nigerian communities, equality between men and women is considered taboo. In such communities, the perception is that the woman was not born equal to the man from creation. The male folks in these communities view the women as a commodity purchased for sex and procreation rather than as helpmeet.
Conclusion:
Some economic challenges Nigeria faces are inextricably linked to women's and children's rights. Addressing this issue requires comprehensive policies prioritizing economic empowerment for women, a more inclusive economic environment, and access to education and healthcare for women and their children. There is a need for the government at all levels in Nigeria to consider criminalizing the failure of parents to ensure that their children are enrolled in school and obtain at least the Junior Secondary School Leaving Certificate. Without tackling these economic barriers, achieving gender equality and ensuring the rights of women and children will remain a distant goal. It is indisputable that women rarely have access to economic resources as men do. Wives in many Nigerian societies are not fully economically dependent on their husbands. Women are primarily dependent on men, and this dependence makes it unnecessary for women to plan and provide beyond their personal needs. There is, therefore, the need to ensure, to a very large extent, financial independence for our women. Where financial independence is achieved, women are able to move on with life in addition to providing for their children in the event of the loss of a spouse. Sustainable development can only be achieved if women and children are given equal opportunities and the necessary support to thrive. To curb the menace of poverty and illiteracy among women and children in Nigeria, there is a need for the government and financial institutions to create an enabling and friendly environment for easy access to soft loans to boost the small and medium businesses of these women. Flexible repayment plans and single-digit interest should also be considered when giving out loans.
Thankfully, in recent times, the fundamental contributions of women in their households and national economic development are increasingly being recognized nationally and globally. This is largely due to women’s energetic efforts to organize, articulate their concerns, and make their voices heard nationally and globally. At the grassroots and national levels, more women's associations are taking advantage of the new political openings of women's inclusion in politics to assert their leadership roles, thereby boosting their economic well-being as well as the well-being of their children and families.