Deborah Ocheni 
The International Women’s Day (IWD) has been around for over a hundred years, as have many of the issues still impacting women’s advancement.
Since 1911, IWD belongs to all who care about women’s equality, celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness about discrimination, and take action to forge gender parity.
As the world recently marked the IWD, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman–Ibrahim, emphasised the urgent need to propel gender equality into tangible and measurable progress.
This call to action comes at a critical moment, as the global community assesses its progress towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Gender gaps
The minister’s statement highlights the importance of accelerating efforts to address the persistent gender gaps in various aspects of life, including economic participation, education, health, and political empowerment. Despite some progress, the pace of change remains slow and significant disparities persist.
A recent report by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs reveals that the world is still falling short on its commitments to women and girls.
The report notes that no country has achieved full gender parity and at the current rate, it will take 134 years to reach full parity – roughly five generations beyond the 2030 SDG target.
To achieve tangible and measurable progress, the minister stresses the need for increased investment in gender equality initiatives, improved policies, and enhanced collaboration among governments, civil society, and the private sector.
As the world continues to strive for gender equality, the minister’s call to action serves as a reminder of the urgent need for collective effort and commitment to achieving tangible and measurable progress.
Accelerate Action
“The theme: ‘Accelerate Action’ is a critical moment to propel gender equality into tangible and measurable progress.
It is a rallying call for deliberate, decisive, and bold actions to break barriers, close gaps, and empower Nigerian women and girls to take their rightful place in every sphere of our society,” she said.
Continuing she said: “The IWD is a global observance that dates back to the early 1900s, born out of the struggles of women for equality, better working conditions, and the right to vote. Over the years, it has evolved into a day not just for celebration, but for reflection, advocacy, and action in the pursuit of gender equality.
For Nigeria, this day holds profound significance as we recognise the remarkable contributions of women to national development while acknowledging the persistent challenges they continue to face.
“This year, we also celebrate 30 years of the existence of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs as a vital institutional mechanism for the advancement of the Nigeria Gender Agenda; an institutional legacy of the Beijing Platform for Action, one of the most transformative global frameworks for gender equality.
“We cannot talk about progress without acknowledging those who paved the way. As we mark this milestone, we must honour the fearless women who stood against oppression and injustice, from pre-independence trailblazers like Chief Margaret Ekpo, Chief (Mrs.) Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and Hajiya Gambo Sawaba, to the thousands of women who laid down their lives in protests such as the Aba Women’s Riot of 1929 and the Egba Women’s Revolt of 1947.
“We also remember the legacies of Dr. Maryam Abacha, who led Nigeria’s delegation to the 1995 Beijing Conference and Dr. (Mrs.) Maryam Babangida who’s Better Life Programme for Rural Women revolutionised grassroots empowerment.
Their work reminds us that change is not given; it is demanded and earned through persistence and resilience”. The minister noted that the struggle for women’ emancipation and empowerment has come of age, standing at the forefront of policy formulation, advocacy and institutional reforms for gender equality.
“Our modern headquarters may be a physical symbol of progress, but the real work lies in translating policies into action, ensuring that women, girls, and vulnerable populations have access to justice, economic empowerment and equal opportunities”. She identified four dimensions to the issues that continue to confront us.
Four dimensions
First, the legal and policy framework. While Nigeria has made significant progress in enacting genderresponsive laws such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) and the Child Rights Act, full implementation remains a challenge.
“Only 35 states have domesticated the VAPP Act, while 34 states have adopted the Child Rights Act – a step in the right direction but not yet enough.
We need full compliance, effective enforcement, and accountability to ensure that the rights enshrined in these laws are a lived reality for every Nigerian woman and girl.” Second, economic empowerment.
Women drive Nigeria’s informal economy, owning 41 per cent of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
However, access to finance, markets, and digital literacy remains a barrier to scaling their businesses. More than 94 per cent of women still lack access to formal credit despite their proven ability to reinvest in their families and communities.
“We must close the gender financing gap, expand opportunities in trade, technology, and digital skills, and provide structured support for women entrepreneurs.
Under the Nigeria for Women Project Scale Up project, which we just commenced, we will be reaching a minimum of 4.5 million women nationwide to bridge the gap.
“We also launched the MOWASARA initiative recently, with support of WEMA Bank. As we speak today, this skill development programme is ongoing, and the target is 500,000 women.”
GBV
The third is gender-based violence and social norms. Over 30 per cent of Nigerian women aged 15-49 years have experienced physical violence and one in four girls have been sexually abused before age 18.
“We recently witnessed the tragic deaths of Emrich Effanga in Cross River State and Mutiat Sholola in Ogun State; the heart-breaking case of the 24-year-old Salome Adaidu, killed in Nasarawa State; the mother of six, whose husband allegedly poured petrol on her and set her ablaze in Anambra State; and the woman whose fingers were chopped off by her supposed boyfriend in Dei-Dei Community, Federal Capital Territory, amongst others.
“These are stark reminders of the urgent need to sustain the declaration of the state of emergency on gender-based violence embarked upon in 2020 by the Nigerian Governors Forum in the wake of a high number of such cases in the midst of the lockdown of COVID-19.
“These are not isolated incidents, but part of a larger pattern of violence that must be decisively addressed. Harmful traditional practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) persist, with Nigeria ranking third globally in child marriage prevalence – a statistic that should alarm us all.
“The Ministry remains unwavering in its commitment to strengthening survivor-centred services, and we are pushing for the review of the Child Rights Act and the VAPP Act and creating safe spaces across the country.
This is not just a women’s issue; it is a national crisis that undermines our collective development.” Fourth is political representation and leadership. Women remain vastly underrepresented in decision-making spaces.
In our 10th National Assembly, only four out of 109 Senators and 17 out of 360 House of Representatives members are women, with 15 states lacking any female representation.
“This stark imbalance is not reflective of a progressive democracy. We must accelerate efforts toward political inclusion, ensuring that women have a seat at the table – not as tokens, but as equal partners in governance and development.
“Accelerating action demands that we confront the harsh realities facing women and girls in Nigeria today. For too long, our interventions have been largely dependent on donor funding; an approach that while helpful, is neither sustainable nor sufficient.
