Fapohunda, Professor of Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management, said this at the 73rd Inaugural Lecture of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo on Tuesday.
The theme of the Inaugural Lecture was: “What Is Sauce For The Goose Is Sauce For The Gander:Managing Human Resources For Sustainable Development”.
She said that the informal sector in Nigeria had come to stay, especially for women, and must, therefore, be sustained for optimum contribution to the growth of the economy and its sustainability.
“The challenge bedeviling the Nigerian state is how to support and regulate the sector in order to promote employment, productivity and income for the poor and women who obviously dominate the sector.
“The constraints on women’s access to resources must be removed, and opportunities should be created for their enterprise.
“Governments must build partnerships with the emerging associations of women and entrepreneurs to create an enabling policy environment,” Fapohunda said.
According to her, there is still pay gap between males and females across just about all occupations in favour of men.
She said that gender pay gap involved the comparative disparities in the typical gross incomes of men and women within an economy.
“To eradicate or at least substantially reduce the gender pay gap, initiatives that fight human capital variables, crowding and labour market segregation as well as discrimination must be introduced.
“Government policies should promote equal opportunities for males and females in the workplace by increasing availability of quality part-time work and ensuring career guidance that is free from gender stereotyping.
“Measures towards comprehending and improving the potentials of women in the economy and their contributions involves eliminating the impediments that women tolerate as regards employment,” she said.
