Government has embarked on numerous programmes to boost women’s economic empowerment. Some of these are the WOFEE and BUDFOW which are still making giant strides all over Nigeria. The FMWASD, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) have provided financial empowerment to women through their various initiatives, such as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund as well as the Agricultural Financing Scheme. So far over 5000 women have benefitted nationally and it is still work in progress. Government has also put in place many other gender-specific economy-boosting Programmes including: Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE P); YOU-Win; G-Win; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/SMEDAN technical and entrepreneurial skills programme among others. Political Participation Since 2007, there have been increased efforts to ensure increased women’s representation and participation in both elective and appointive positions in the country through: i. Increased emphasis on implementing the provisions of the National Gender Policy, in all spheres of government and non-governmental activities; Insistence on the 35 per cent Affirmative Action target of the National Gender Policy in all appointive and elected offices. iii. Massive sensitization of the citizenry on the negative impact of harmful traditional practices hampering women from political participation. iv. Deliberate schemes and programmes aimed at the economic empowerment. ii. Additionally, Political Parties are advancing policies aimed at encouraging women into political decision making positions at the highest levels. Most political Parties now allow women seeking political offices to obtain nomination forms free of charge whereas their male counterparts pay heavily to obtain same. The FMWASD with UN-Women and other development partners put in place a Trust Fund to assist female politicians bidding for elective offices. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a strategic institution developed its inhouse gender policy to positively influence the enabling legislative environment for electoral processes. It will also facilitate the adoption of relevant institutional measures and mechanisms related to the achievement of impartiality and equality and contribute to bridging gender gaps in political representation at all electoral related levels, especially in elected and appointive positions. Working towards a more gender responsive Nigerian Police Force The Nigeria Police Force has developed a context specific Gender Policy for the Nigerian Police. This was demand-driven response to the outcomes of a workshop on improving gender sensitive policy response to the issues of GBV organized in November 2009. Also, the Nigeria Police Force recently adopted a new Human Rights Training Manual which has gender equality mainstreamed and was presented to the Inspector General of Police in February 2014 —for use in all Police Training Schools and Colleges, nationwide. 149