Our Mandate

Mandate Overview

The broad mandate of the Ministry is to advise government on Gender and Children issues. Issues affecting Persons with Disabilities and the Aged; initiate policy guidelines and lead the process of gender equality and mainstreaming at both the National and International levels.

Functions of the Ministry

1. Promote the advancement of women in the socio-cultural, political and economic development of Nigeria;
2. Provide an enabling environment that ensures maximum and holistic development as well as nation building;
3. Promote health and reproductive rights of women to enhance responsible motherhood and maternal health;
4. Initiate actions towards elimination of all social and cultural practices that discriminate against the overall development of women and the girl child;
5. Ensure the integration of women in national process and promoting the mainstreaming of gender in all issues of national importance;
6. Conduct awareness creation and formulation of policies and legislation on survival, development, protection and participatory rights of women and children in Nigeria;
7. Advocate for the protection and observance of the rights of the child within the definition of international laws on Human Rights;
8. Promote, formulate and propagate moral values within the family units and the general public;
9. Establish programmes with institutions and organizations to inculcate civic, political, cultural, social, economic and moral education of women, children and youth;
10. Support the work of relevant non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and encourage the sense and essence of cooperative societies among women and girls both in urban and rural areas to stimulate creativity and entrepreneurship in them;
11. Advocate the passage and enforcement of laws that protect and project the interest of the Ministry’s target groups including the recognition of women’s work in all sectors in National Accounting System;
12. Promote a multi-sectoral programme synergy for the realization and enhancement of the survival, development, protection and participation of children in Nigeria with particular reference to the achievement of set targets enumerated in the Child’s Right Act, 2003 (CRA); the National Gender Policy, the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
13. Formulate and update various policies and implementation of strategies for the development of various categories of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs);
14. Train all categories of PWDs and resettle them after their training;
15. Management of Braille Presses and Braille Library Services;
16. Co-ordinate Inter-Governmental and Inter-State Social Welfare activities;
17. Conduct research and surveys in various aspects of gender;
18. Rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram insurgency, surrendered insurgents and particularly, the re-integration and ensuring that the recovered Chibok Girls are back to school to complete their studies;
19. Training of professional social workers and the organization/coordination of training facilities for government and non-governmental social welfare agencies;
20. Care and support for the vulnerable groups.
21. Formulate policies, programmes and actions within the contexts of National development plans and global agenda for women development in the social, economic and political areas;
22. Serve as central-programme coordination, advisory and harmonization point for the country on women’s total concerns;
23. Provide training, research and dissemination of information on women issues/concerns and development;
24. Networking and liaison with National, Regional and International Institutions/organizations, development partners, private sectors, media and non-governmental organizations on matters affecting women’s empowerment and development;
25. Promote women-centred sustainable development through provision of basic and life-long education, literacy and empowerment programmes for self-reliance;
26. Ensure high level advocacy campaign at national and to states to sensitize Policy makers on women’s plights and raise general public awareness on women’s roles in nation building, disseminate information and galvanize support for women advancement/participation;
27. Engage in social orientation and IEC development/dissemination on women matters;
28. Ensure women’s access to education and information including women’s sexual, physical, mental, emotional health and reproductive rights;
29. Undertake supervisory/follow-up activities on the national implementation of all women related frameworks/protocols across all boards;
30. Mobilize and facilitate the provision of palliatives/relief materials for indigent women.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Focus Areas

Legal Framework