Abuja: Mrs Edna Azura, National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), has called for intensified efforts toward achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls across the country. Azura made the call at a symposium to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8, and the 2025 celebration has the theme, ‘Accelerate Action’. While urging stakeholders to dismantle systemic barriers preventing women’s advancement, Azura emphasized that this year’s theme was a call for all stakeholders to redouble efforts in bridging gender gaps and ensuring equal opportunities for women in all spheres of life.
Azura stated, “Today, we acknowledge the progress recorded in gender equality, yet we must recognise the gaps that persist between policy commitments and actual implementation.” She highlighted that Nigeria has adopted various legal frameworks, national policies, and international obligations, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union Agenda 2063, and the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights. However, challenges such as limited access to education, economic exclusion, the burden of caregiving, gender-based violence, and underrepresentation in leadership positions continue to hinder women’s empowerment.
The NCWS president emphasized the need for a collaborative approach involving government, civil society, the private sector, and individuals to drive gender equality initiatives forward. Speaking on the symposium’s sub-theme, ‘The Future is Now: Empowering Women and Youths to Thrive’, Azura stressed the importance of investing in education, skills development, and economic empowerment for women and youths. She added that the council would provide financial support to selected women entrepreneurs to help scale up their small businesses.
Mrs Chizoba Ogbeche, National Vice-President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Zone D, highlighted the association’s ‘Her Seat in Parliament’ campaign to increase women’s political representation in leadership and governance positions. Ogbeche noted that the campaign aims to raise awareness among legislators and the public about the importance of women’s representation in decision-making roles. She pointed out that while the 74 seats being advocated for are a starting point, they are essential for influencing policies affecting women and other vulnerable groups.
Dr Nafisa Shehu-Muhammed, President of the Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA), reiterated their support for women empowerment and collaboration for sustained advocacy in achieving gender equality. The event’s high point was the empowerment of selected petty traders across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as part of activities to mark International Women’s Day 2025.