Nigerian Feminist Forum Slams Buhari over Derogatory Comments About His Wife

Lagos, 16^th October 2016.

The NFF and its partners, totally reject and condemn in strong terms the comments made by Nigeria’s President Mohammad Buhari on Friday the 14^th of October 2016 in response to his wife’s interview on Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Mrs. Aisha Buhari,during the said interview publicly expressed discontent with Mr. President for not living up to expectations. In response to certain statements made by Aisha, President Buhari was quoted by the Associated Press (AP) as saying during a joint press conference with German ChancellorMs. Angela Merkel, that “his wife should be taking care of his kitchen, living room and the other room” —meaning his bedroom. In his own words, President Buhari said, “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room”.

Mr. President’s comment connotes a nostalgic and repugnant invocation of historical patriarchal oppression and subjugation of Nigerian women, which has over the past alienated and denied Nigerian women access and a level playing ground to compete equally with their male counterparts both in public and personal spaces. Need we remind Mr. President about the role and contributions of women in our nation building vis-à-vis the socio-cultural, economic and political development of our beloved Nigeria?  We Nigerian women alongside our male counterparts have throughout the history of the development of this country resisted and will continue to resist every attempt made to diminish our contributions to the development of this nation. We will continue to fights against the entrenchment of patriarchal, socio-cultural and religious misogynistic structures that oppress and demean the status of women in our society. This demeaning statement violates right to dignity of every woman, recognised in section 34 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

It is notable that Mr. President’s condescending comment relegating his wife’s role exclusively to his ’’kitchen and the other room’’ was made during a state visit to Germany, a first world nation with advanced democracy, headed by a woman (Ms. Angela Merkel). Ms. Merkel serves as a clear example that women can attain to the highest leadership position anywhere in the world if given the right support and opportunity. Ms. Merkel would not have become the German Chancellor if she as a woman was solely relegated to the kitchen or the other room. Ms. Merkel, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Michelle Bachelet, Thersa May, Doris Leuthard and other women in similar position demonstrates that women just like men, are capable of making important decisions in the ‘boardrooms and conference rooms’.

Mr. President Sir, we Nigerian women hereby categorically state that we are no less important than our male citizens. We matter equally. It is inexcusable and utterly condemnable to refer to the first lady of Nigeria and indeed any other woman as belonging to the ’’kitchen’’. It may interest you to know that Nigerian women make up 42.2% of the labour force (World Bank, 2014). Nigerian women contribute close to 70% of agricultural workforce (African Development Bank, 2015). Millions of Nigerian women are entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, teachers, lawyers, farmers, traders among others. Nigerian women including your wife Aisha, constitute 50% of the country’s population and comments such as yours can never diminish or undermine our status and contribution to national development and growth. Mr, President Sir, your role as a statesman and leader of a polarized country such as ours, connotes that you must never been seen either in public or private to support ideas and positions that stifles 50% of the citizens of the country you head.  We equally admonish your follow up comments/confirmation of your earlier position to a journalist that your wife’s sole duty is to ‘take care of you’ is equally unacceptable. We believe that you are not physically disabled or incapacitated to warrant 24hours personal care and if that is the case, may we suggest you seek qualified paid professional care.

Mr. President it is needless to remind you that Aisha your wife, is a highly educated, influential and focused woman, from a family of politicians. We recall her contributions and indeed the contribution of other Nigerian women to the success of the 2015 elections, which ushered in your government. Mrs. Aisha Buhari successfully rallied the support of the mass of Nigerian women who make up approximately 50% of the total number of voters that voted to put your government in power. Need we remind you that women actively participated in political rallies, campaigns, voters’ registration and actual voting exercises. We have not forgotten about the promises you made to women during your election campaign speeches, we are eagerly waiting for you to fulfil them starting from appointing women equally in your ministerial cabinet.

The NFF and its partners are saddened and worried to note that the present political dispensation has the lowest representation of women in public office. Women make up roughly 8% of the overall membership of the legislature and only 7% of ministers currently serving in your cabinet are women. This is against the 31% in the immediate past administration.  We wonder if this dismal representation of women in decision making in your government has a direct link to your personal opinion of women and their role in the society. The dismal role of women in decision-making positions in this present administration is extremely discomforting.  Nigerian women were even further assaulted by the rejection of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (GEOP) by members of Nigeria’s Senate on Tuesday the 15^th of March 2016.  The GEOP Bill seeks to guarantee the rights of women to access equal opportunities in employment and education. It also seeks to guarantee equal rights to inheritance for both male and female children.

We note that in other progressive democracies in Africa, in countries like Rwanda women make up 63.8% in the Lower house of Assembly and 38.5% in the senate. In South Africa women represent 41.9% and 35.2% respectively. In Burundi women represent 36.4% in the lower Assembly and 41.9% representation in senate. Even Zimbabwe has 31.5% and 37.5% respectively. In the Nigerian parliament as presently constituted, women represent a dismal 5.6% in the Lower Assembly and 6.5% in the senate. Very far from the agitated 35%, Affirmative Action provided for, in the National Gender Policy 2006.

The NFF and its partners will like to use this medium to commend the courage, sincerity, and audacity of Mrs. Aisha Buhari to speak up, upon sensing that the government is clearly deviating from delivering the electioneering promises it made to Nigerians. Never in our history as a nation have we had a woman in that position use her power to express an opinion that threatens even her personal comfort. We hereby use this medium to call on President Mohammad Buhari to immediately;

·         Offer an unreserved public apology to his wife and indeed every Nigerian woman and girls for the disparaging and demeaning misogynistic comment made about confining the role of women in the society solely to the domestics.

·         Take concrete actions to demonstrate his government’s commitment to actualizing 35% Affirmative Action in all government institutions, structures and decision-making positions.

·         Demonstrate a clear road map of implementing the sustainable development goal especially goal 5 on Gender equality.

·         Fulfil every electioneering promise made to Nigerian women and take steps to secure the lives of women and girls especially those in conflict situations.

·         Show public support for women’s right and gender equality.

We also call on the leadership of Nigerian legislature, not to relent in its commitment to ensure the immediate passage of the re-introduced Gender and Equal Opportunities bill presently before the senate. 

Signed,

Geraldyn Ezeakile

Nigerian Feminist Forum, Secretariat.

(+2348068864475) 

Co-signed by; Women Africa (WA), Women Entrepreneurs Association of Nigera (WEAN), Centre for Mmadu on Human Rights (C4M), Alliances for Africa (AfA), Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), Women Crisis Centre (WCC) Lesley Agams, Equity Advocates (EQ) Echoes of Women In Africa (ECHOES), Arise Nigerian Women Foundation (ANWF), Gender and Development Action (GADA), Media Concern Initiative for Women and Children (MCIWC), Women’s Right and Health Project (WRAHP),Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI), Voice of Eve International (VOI),

About the Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF)

The Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) is a biennial public policy forum that brings together feminists from the six geo-political zones, government officials, and other strategic partners to deliberate on issues of key concern to the development of and emancipation of women in Nigeria. We can be reached via email at;nigerianfeminist@gmail.com, nff@alliancesforafrica.org and via twitter: @nff2008

Time for Nigeria’s Big Men to Give Back to Society

Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, recently announced that he is offering one undergraduate/postgraduate scholarship to young Nigerians, to cover study within Nigeria or in a foreign institution. The details of the scheme titled “Education Solutions” are available on his website here.
The scholarship scheme has been attracting mixed reactions on social media so far– applause and condemnation in almost equal proportion. Personally, I am very ambivalent about it. While I will not condemn it, I certainly think more can be done to improve education as a whole in Nigeria, through teacher trainings and workshops, provision of books and study materials, advocacy campaigns and so on, rather than giving out one scholarship. To be fair to the former vice president though, he has emphasised that it is a nascent, pilot scheme, and he does own one of the most reputable private universities in the country, the American University of Nigeria.
Ultimately, there is no harm in our former public officials giving back to society. Giving out scholarships through a competitive process that selects the best and the brightest and changes someone’s life positively certainly beats sitting idly about, making self-serving, inflammatory and polarising press statements threatening that “Power Must Return to the North or Else…” or “Power Must Remain in the South or Else…” whilst sitting on a huge mound of fortune that is either frittered away in obscene and vainglorious consumption, or that lies dormant in Swiss Banks, South African hotels, Malibu mansions and Emirati apartment blocks. Call it the lesser of two evils if you must.
Now imagine if more of Nigeria’s “big men” were to invest in education, advocacy, and productive enterprises at home. We probably wouldn’t be begging the Americans, Europeans and lately the Chinese to do OUR work for us: to come establish labour-intensive manufacturing firms on our shores. If only 10% of Nigeria’s $170 billion stashed in foreign accounts (these are 2003 figures, the current figures must be several multiples of this amount) were to be re-invested back home, the tremendous impact it would have on our economy is best left to the imagination.
I have argued severally that a lot of our former public officials need to make themselves useful. It has been 14 years since the transition to democracy. These 14 years have created many former governors, former ministers, former senators, former ambassadors and others who have held influential positions (I haven’t even included the titans of the military era). These are individuals with the resources and the clout to make a direct positive impact on their communities in numerous ways. A few of them have proceeded to establish consultancies, NGOs, think tanks or are still engaged in politics or policy. Some have chosen to retire in peace. Many others have temporarily skulked back into the depths of obscurity, resurfacing occasionally to rally young Nigerians to their ethno-centric, bigoted and self-serving causes.
There are so many productive ways to get involved.
One way is advocacy and enlightenment campaigns on leadership and good governance to ensure people at the grassroots stop selling their votes to the highest bidder.
Another is advocacy and enlightenment campaigns to ensure young women are enrolled and allowed to complete at the barest minimum secondary school education especially in the North East and North West.
A third could be the establishment of profit-making enterprises (if they can’t find competent local managers, they can hire qualified expatriates – there are many!) which will create value and jobs in their communities and make more money for them.
A fourth could be teaching and lecturing in many of our tertiary institutions that are wallowing in the dearth of expertise and learning equipment. Writing opinion pieces on the pages of newspapers is just not enough. Young Nigerians in tertiary institutions will benefit tremendously from the wealth of their experience in public service.
The list is endless. Most of them are influential. Many of them have the resources. Many of them can make a difference.
It is really tempting to dismiss Atiku Abubakar’s scholarship scheme or to question his motive. Indeed, one might even wonder whether the scheme will last beyond the 2014 elections primaries. Nevertheless, society will definitely benefit from more of the well-to-do giving back in useful ways that will make a real difference to people’s lives.

 http://zainabusman.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/time-for-nigerias-big-men-to-give-back-to-society/
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Women Entrepreneurs Becoming Force in the Developing World

You may not have heard of the "third billion," but you may one day feel their impact. The third billion is a term used to describe the billion women, mostly from emerging markets, who will join the global economy as employees, employers and entrepreneurs over the next decade. From India to Turkey, women entrepreneurs are on the leading edge of this shift, poised to transform their local economies and, in doing so, change the world.
"We believe that women are tremendous, untapped investments that yield huge returns for entire communities," says Natalie Byrne, director of global impact at skincare company Dermalogica. In 2010, Dermalogica and the nonprofit Kiva launched the Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship (FITE) program to help women entrepreneurs start or grow their own businesses. To date, it has provided microfinance loans to 30,000 women across 68 countries.
While the experiences of women entrepreneurs in the developing world are as diverse as the countries they inhabit, since the difficulties facing a small woman-owned business in Vietnam looks nothing like that of a new venture in, say, Turkey or India, there are some common challenges.
For example, Melek Pulatkonak, founder and curator of the Turkish Women's International Network, says education and training play an important role in improving the economic position of women. While about two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults are female, research shows that educated mothers are more likely to participate in the labor force.
The La Pietra Coalition, a group of leaders advocating for women's advancement that last year launched The Third Billion campaign to support the scores of women entering the workforce, identifies four challenges that stand between women and equal opportunity. In addition to access to education, these issues include access to legal protection, access to capital, and access to markets. In many cases, they overlap or compound one another.
"The fundamental difference between entrepreneurs in developing countries and in the U.S.," says Byrne, "is that in many parts of the world, women don't have access to banking systems and often can't receive loans without permission from a man such as their husband or brother."
Last month, tech company Dell announced the results of its gender-focused Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index, which ranks 17 countries based on a wide range of indicators, including some of those identified by the La Pietra Coalition above. Unsurprisingly, the U.S., Australia and Germany ranked at the top of the list, while India, one of the fastest developing economies in the world, ranked at No. 16. India scored relatively high in the category of "opportunity recognition," which measures the number of women who can identify a good climate to start a local business, but low in "institutional foundations," or the established support and infrastructure they need to pursue their goals.
Stuti Jalan started Bombay and Delhi-based public relations firm Crosshairs Communication in 2002 when she was 23. "I've matured as the market matured, and I had a mentor who told me that I had nothing to lose," she says. Still, she recognizes two sides to India. "We have powerful women leaders and an urban population that is very forward thinking," she says, "but there is still a mindset that is not very accepting."

The biggest difficulties, Jalan says, come when navigating bureaucracy. "When I walk into a government office, I have to make sure I'm dressed a certain way," she says. "I take a male colleague or consultant along so I'm taken seriously."
Turkey, which ranked No. 11 on Dell's gender index, has a young population that's driving its economic growth. And while the labor force participation of women there is just 29.5 percent, they hold 12 percent of chief executive positions -- triple the percentage of women running the largest 500 companies in the U.S.
"I don't think I'm a woman when starting a business or running a team," says Pulatkonak, in Turkey, "unless someone makes me feel like a woman in the workplace."
Turkish women entrepreneurs, especially in the country's less-developed eastern half, need better support systems in their families and adequate financial opportunity, Pulatkonak says. "One of the biggest challenges for women is to get access to capital so they can get a license to build a business." That access, she says, starts with a bank account, which only 33 percent of Turkish women have, according to the Dell study. It paves the way to bank loans and credit lines and, ultimately, to credibility in the eyes of local and state authorities who grant permission to operate.
Still, Pulatkonak sees great potential for the young women entrepreneurs coming into the pipeline to continue Turkey’s progression toward equal rights, which has not only led to greater visibility for women leaders but has also recently paved the way for more egalitarian divorce laws. “Things are changing,” she says.
It's a sentiment echoed by Jalan, in India. "Those of us who are responsible for the change," she says, "are responsible for bringing other [women] with us."

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/227163#ixzz2Yawnp6WP

The Shame of an Importing Nation.

Nigeria is known to import many goods,some include textiles, tooth picks, bottled water, to mention a few. We also import refined sugar,98% of brown sugar used in Nigeria is being imported. According to the minister of trade, Mr Olusegun Aganga, Nigeria lost a revenue of over N500bn, in 2011 to other economies due to the importation of brown sugar, yet we have sugar cane plantations in the northern part of the country that if properly harnessed could produce an excess for the consumption of more than just the Nigerian populace. The loss accrued from importation includes the potential to create jobs and employment locally and develop modern skills to make the country economically relevant on the world stage, but of course the farmers, varied small medium enterprises don't get approved loans from the banks to invest in their business because of the lack of collateral and the frustration to the production chain process from start to finish including epileptic power shortage, the inadequate storage process ,the infrastructure, bureaucracy in the system, all point to the facts why they might be producing below capacity.

The Asian Tigers for example, are four economies in Asia notable for maintaining an exceptional high growth rate of over 7%  annually from the 1960's to 1990's. They include Hong Kong,Taiwan,Singapore and South Korea. In this period they became industrialized even though they are not rich in natural resources.
Their economies are successful because they focused on developing it from their comparative advantage; Hong Kong and Singapore focused on being international financial centers, Singapore specialized in becoming a port hub, while Taiwan and South Korea on the other hand focused on manufacturing, with an emphasis on information technology. Today they are all leading exporters to the US and Europe, including Malaysia on the other hand, well known for a thriving agricultural export economy.

What we can also learn from the Asian tigers is the establishment of a banking system that favored  them, in addition to limiting their foreign spending and solely investing in their own nations as opposed to capital flight and  investing hugely abroad by Africans ie buying of holiday homes and other luxury goods. Recently also, the BRICS, four prominent and emerging economies; Brazil,Russia,India,China and its most recent member South Africa unveiled their plans to establish a development bank, even though the modalities are  far from concluded, it is a welcoming idea as expressed by the president of the African development bank.

Building of political will, the goal of developing local production, indigenous businesses and manpower all entail a visionary leader leading to instill in the minds of all and sundry that a manufacturing, industrialized, producing culture is the only way we can develop and become a formidable economic power on to the rest world. This national drive must also be backed by laws, policies to enforce the culture in no time.

So back to Nigeria, to begin with there are only 24 items on the prohibitive list of imported goods and services of the nation. Nation with a staggering population which also doubles as its strength and an argument for a thriving home grown industry to meet their needs, but that is not the case, they live and survive on mostly imported goods.

Then there are the ills of importation experienced more often than not,i.e. poor quality of the goods due to substandard products and cheaper cost for mass production and supply which in turn endangers the  consumers health,poor labeling and information ie expiry date, product composition,stifling and glut in local industries and production, poor wages of staff,  the exposure of the human right abuses in some factories in China for example.

The Way Forward?
 Nigeria urgently requires a strategic restructuring to areas of critical needs.People buy imported products due to reasons such as local incapacity,inconsistency to meet demands, poor standard of products,inconsistent government policy or lack of implementation/sustenance of policies to the sector,but these gives room for local product to develop, by introducing implementation, monitoring and evaluation technique to review the whole policies around the sector. Also other good practices working in other nations can be transferred and of course adapted to suit local content ie consumer rights, warranty , independent monitoring,laboratories for testing and product certification capabilities, furthermore the thorough implementation of government initiated strategies is crucial. A vivid example is the backward integration policy which is a new focus from importation to local production, which should be a welcoming decision and potential to drive investment in the right direction, increase job creation and employment, but so far it's been mixed feelings in the local cement industry, there has been a glut and profiteering in the cement industry  which  marks the policy seem ineffective and threatening of  the local cement producers like Lafarge and Dangote into shutting down some of their plants and incurring debts from their heavy investment in the sector.

Strengths and Opportunities.
Nigeria does have an history of  a local manufacturing sector once. While many have shut down some are still riding the storm  in some parts of the country, the Aba,Onitsha  commercial centers for example is well known for home made shoes,bags,textiles and other household items are to be promoted, they use to be a collecting point for agricultural products following the British made railway, running through it to the port. Nigeria is blessed with vast arable soil, land and natural resources too to thrive as local industries, we we fully embraced our agricultural sector, it is crucial that we build the political will.  There is the opportunity to promote and develop our human capital from the foreign direct investment into these sectors crucial for our own development local content, employing local labor, training local people and developing their skills,from Multinationals and investors flocking the  country.

If there was any learning of the potential in these and and the benefits to come in years to come it will  be the  outcomes from the growing success of our entertainment industry in such a short while,
It is therefore paramount that making education compulsory, innovative, diversified with strong emphasis on science, and technology  as well as analytic thinking for  the upcoming generation in Nigeria is also key.
Patronizing and promoting made in Nigeria products will take us further as a nation rather than an importing culture for virtually everything, who knows what is next?

Abimbola Junaid is an analyst and consultant in Africa sustainable developments through development solutions research, design, implementation, monitoring & evaluation and Review.. She promotes the economic and human capital development,good governance,inter regional relations & markets of Africa.

Pls visit www.abimbolajunaid.org.

Its the 1st International Day of the Girl Child.

There is a Michelle Obama in every girl, in every part of the continent, with the picture below she certainly wasn't told women are not to be seen nor heard. Michelle Obama was not married off as a child bride, to a rotund , artificial denture toothed grandpa, nor did they invoke a fertility ritual on her through a compulsory genital mutilation custom and she certainly makes her health decisions, nor her fate in thy hands of her husband. Michelle Obama was not denied an education nor is American woman and girl. Her parents did not choose her brothers over her, she was not told she was not equal to men, certainly Obama does not see her as beneath him nor has he become violent that they bore, only daughters, and no male child as heir apparent to the family name.

The bottom line is the value we place on a thing isn’t it? So I ask us all, “what value do we place in general on the girl child and women in our society”?

The bottom line is the value we place on a thing isn’t it? So I ask us all, “what value do we place in general on the girl child and women in our society”?

True values is the answer, not wishful thinking and lusting after the finished product that Michelle Obama is today, but, that our society changes it’s mindset of women as subordinates and start putting in the sacrifices that her society continues to invest in, in ensuring that every female child‘s human right is unquestionable and liberty to entitlements that gives her the chance to maximise her human and capital resources with her dignity intact.

It is not too late to stand and up change all that for the good of us all don’t wait to do the right thing, change your perception, educate your mind.

Stand up for a girl today, stand up for their rights. Join the rest of the world, in marking the 1^st International day of the girl child, October 11, 2012.

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

Speech by Abimbola Junaid

Founder Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation

Marking International Youth Day 2012.

DATE: 12^TH August 2012.

Venue: Chicken Republic

Okota Isolo.

It is another international youth day and I am short of words on this occasion, especially when I look at the state of our polity , it looks really gloom and pathetic; not a state in which anyone’s precious, esteem able ,future nation builders should be learning about artful skill of leadership and living.

No denying that many youth of today are dissatisfied and of course, we know. We know the nation as a whole has failed them. And they have the reason to be disgruntled at our politicians and government, but the bulk of my talk will focus on you, youths.

As a youth what is your expected role in society, what is your role as an individual, as a youth in general, not even as a Nigerian youth, just as a youth? And this applies to your counterpart world over that you jointly celebrate this day with.Our environment shapes us, but wait a minute that could be for good form or bad right? If that is the case it means you as a youth can still choose that that you get involved with in life. As bad and dire as the situation of the times we live in is, so also is it the most exciting time with the buzz and addictive nature of a world wide web. You must know that not all youths join secret cult in, there are many who never joined in fact, there are some youths who never maimed nor killed their fellow human beings as a sign of manhood and for a temporal respect amongst their peers and there are some who never even stole from another man.

Your choices will always determine whether you make it in Life. Many of you are not preparing for your future .You are lethargic, complacent, holding to the good excuse that the calamity that you are in, a societal one than self prescribed. Hey, that is not good enough, that is a lame excuse, after all you have drive, passion and determination in you, it is not just at paying the price for a good life, we all know where your dedication lie, in a fix -quick–way- to- an eluded- abundant -happily ever -after –life.

Let’s examine some of your beliefs and practices:

Do you even focus on studying so as to be found diligent, or harnessing your skills and talent by maximising it? Are you prepared for today’s market, either local or global? Would you ever consider a job as oppose to no job at all, whether it is a humbling job, or work opportunities like volunteering or it is the plum job at the bank or nothing else? How many of you can and do pay a down payment of today for your future ie learning the rudiments of life, like learning to save even in the absence of abundance? How about your health , are you ignoring campaigns like HIV and aids awareness and refusing to play safe by abstaining, sticking to one sexual partner or using a condom?

Are you best found at the local beer and pepper soup parlour, justifying it as “ drinking away your sorrow”! But be assured and it is not a curse that that sorrow multiplies with a weak bladder many years down the line! If you think education is expensive try ignorance.

You are a happening boy, happening girl right? You have the latest tech phone, you are connected to several social media forums, but really, what information are you surfing the net for, be honest? My guess is you surf for pornographic pages, savvy technology gadgets, get rich quick schemes. It is every other thing but not opportunities to add to your wealth of knowledge, your skills and output that will get you from where you are to where you want to be. Even the westerners that you are trying to emulate pay the price of hard work, success doesn’t come cheap and easy, but doggy success does. You ask the likes of NICE, Dbanj, and the many celebrities you model yourself by today! Ask even Kachi, the convener of this event.

Youthfulness is the most amazing time in the human cycle. I wish you would believe me. You are a youth for a reason, to explore widely, given the varied opportunities out there at your disposal. Even working in your favour is the global village of today, everything and anything is within your reach, If only you would see it.....................and tap into it.

At the end of the day it is not all gloom and doom story, some are getting prepared despite all the negatives, and some youths are making history, positive history as we speak, you can be one of them, get prepared, join their train and network widely. If life gives you lemon, make lemonade out of it, the bulk rest with you. To thy self be true.

I wish you a productive youthfulness, one which you maximise science, technology, your innovative mind and innate skills, develop your creativity, tap in to emerging business opportunities, agriculture and lastly network widely with the world, all generations and of all your fellow global youths.

                       HAPPY INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY.

Ms Abimbola Junaid is a global consultant in Development. She is the founder of Arise NigerianWoman Foundation, an advocacy organisation in Nigeria for the all inclusion of today's women and girls,the elderly and the disabled in the socio economic and political dialogue of the Nigerian society.

Charting the Change from BPO to BoP: Training the Next Generation of Skilled Labor in India( Can Nigeria learn a thing or two)

Culled from Business fights povertyhttp://www.businessfightspoverty.org/profiles/blogs/charting-the-change-from-bpo-to-bop-training-the-next-generation

Related

Blog: Creating Shared Value in India

Blog: Danone and the BoP

Link: Next Billion

By Arvinda Perumbala, Head of Application Development, Laurus Edutech

Before the services industry boom, the choice for a young graduate in India was very limited. You had to be an engineer or doctor to even think of getting into decent salary league, let alone high-paying salary league.

No one can deny the business process outsourcing (BPO) boom was the ultimate game changer, as the services industry empowered a vast middle class with the kind of career options that young India had long desired. For new BPO workers, the boom raised awareness of globalization, while giving them more to spend and to save. The phenomena directly reflects India’s GDP growth in the last 20 years.


I entered the services industry in 2000 as a software engineer in a BPO start up; I was the first software programmer the company hired. For more than a decade, I worked on workflow automation, human resource workforce management automation, knowledge management tools, and productivity improvement through optical character recognition technologies. While there, I also developed two patents for process improvements, and my skills grew along with the broader BPO industry. The small BPO firm grew rapidly, and two major technology companies later purchased it.

After ten years, I left the enterprise confident, stable and strong, much like the industry itself. To say that the BPO industry paved a way for the vast educated middle class and gave wings to their aspirations would be an understatement.

I’m typical of many of the entrepreneurs and professionals who benefitted from the BPO boom. We are both are thankful for the opportunities it has provided, but we also hope to drive India’s nascent Base of the Pyramid sector. The Indian government is spending a huge amount of money in training BoP candidates to skill them in their chosen field. The government has set an aggressive goal to train more than 500 million people by 2022.

Dealing with that challenge will require a scalable training solution to bridge the skills gap. Most approaches thus far have been community-oriented, low-tech training programs. Formed as NGOs, they have addressed the problem from the human angle, but have not had the capacity to address the market challenge. (Left: A Laurus Edutech welding class).

At Laurus Edutech, an Anavo Global LLC company, our goal is to help students attain the training they need and that employers are demanding of the labor force, while helping skills training/development centers to maximize efficiency and training quality. (Anavo is a NextBillion Content Partner). Laurus Edutech provides vocational training directly to students and assessment support services to industry and government organizations. The job placement and skills portal, www.skillindia.in, enables training/development centers to track students’ progress in the future, helping training centers to respond to the needs of the market more quickly.

Laurus has helped train more than 20,000 students in 80 centers across the country, and our software is running in more than 700 locations. With GloCare, another Anavo firm, we’ve developed a similar platform helping doctors in cities to treat rural patients via mobile phones, tablets, and computer videoconferencing. This combination of decision support tools and point-of-care diagnostic tools is designed to bring rural, low-income patients into the formal health care system to pay for affordable treatment.

Serving the BOP market, either the student/workers or rural patients, is certainly a different process than serving the BPO market, where many of our customers were multinational companies, including Dell, which purchased the company. But just as services industry improved the quality due to the market place demands, workers’ skill quality is being refined based on market demands. With the right mix of vision, resources and will, I believe we can take this to take this industry to great heights and lift the aspirations of BoP workers, just as the BPO did for me and millions of others.

Posted by BFP Editor on August 12, 2012 at 21:00

Editor's Note:
This Blog was first published on Next Billion and is reproduced here with permission.

Small images in article courtesy of Laurus Edutech.