29/10/2025
Market Women Launch Charter of Demands, Seek Inclusion in Decision-Making
The Market Women Association in Oyo State has launched a Charter of Demands calling on governments at all levels to include them in decision-making processes affecting their welfare and economic activities.
The charter was unveiled in Ibadan on Tuesday at an event organised by the Iyamapo Centre for Peace, Women, and Youths Development (CPWYD), with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF), Nigeria.
The Executive Director of the Iyamapo CPWYD, Mrs Sherifah Taleat-Arafat, said the charter emerged from a needs-assessment survey conducted across eight markets and eight commodity associations in the three senatorial districts of Oyo State.
She said the assessment, which reached 1,902 market women, revealed critical gaps in representation, inclusion, and policy engagement.
“The first objective of this event is to celebrate our achievement in forming a coalition for iyalojas and leaders of market women associations in Oyo State.
“The second is to formally present the coalition to government and stakeholders, and the third is to launch the Charter of Demand — an advocacy tool containing our needs, challenges, dreams, and aspirations as market women,” Taleat-Arafat said.
She commended the Heinrich Böll Foundation for its support, noting that the number of coalition members had grown from 25 to 102 within a few months.
“No matter how beautiful an idea is, without support there is little one can achieve. We thank HBF and everyone who made this possible,” she said.
The Country Director, HBS, Nigeria, Sophie Von Knebel encouraged market women, policymakers, and all stakeholders to engage deeply with this Charter and use it as a living tool for change.
“Let it inspire decisive policy actions, strengthen protections, and open new opportunities for women in markets across Oyo State. The women have spoken, and now is the time to act on their calls for change," Knebel said.
