and Social Development has made efforts to provide capital inputs like sewing machines and other items to support the advancement of women in commercial activities. The National Poverty Eradication Programme has quotas of funds earmarked for women’s development activities. 126 367. While the prevalence of micro-finance schemes for small to medium-scale enterprises available to women is a welcome development, the ability of women to use the loans in a profitable manner is affected by the small amounts granted under the schemes. The competing needs that women face in balancing domestic requirements against capital inputs into their businesses have forced some to apply monies borrowed to noncommercial activities. 368. In addition, although women are given loans, there are no accompanying support activities such as training in good business practices, for instance basic bookkeeping. In addition, as reported in Ogun, some of these services have yet to permeate to the grass roots, and women at this level are not well informed about these opportunities. Banks in Nigeria offer loans to businesspeople, including women. However, most banks require collateral in the form of land, which the majority of women do not own. iii. Recommendations 369. The APR Panel recommends that: • The revision process in respect of the constitution include removal of clauses that discriminate against women, such as the granting of unequal citizenship rights to men and women with non-Nigerian spouses. The constitution should also adopt affirmative action for women in the civil, political and socioeconomic spheres in the light of the international and regional conventions that Nigeria has acceded to. At least 30 per cent of all public appointive posts at federal government and state and local government level should be reserved unconditionally for women. (Legislatures at all levels and CSOs) • All laws and judicial procedures that involve prejudicial and discriminatory procedures against women, such as the Marriage Act, the Matrimonial Causes Act, the criminal code, the penal code, and the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act of 1960, be repealed. (Legislatures at all levels and CSOs) • A law protecting the rights of women in accordance with CEDAW be passed. (Law Reform Commission, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development, and states and federal legislatures) • Employment creation for women in their own communities be developed by state and government poverty alleviation programmes to prevent trafficking involving women. Modalities should be found to encourage the movement of women from the informal to the formal sector. (Government and the private sector) • Training for law enforcement agencies incorporate gender concerns, and specific units for dealing with gender-based cases be created at federal and state level. Special units should be created in the police