Deborah Ocheni 
As part of preparation for the 2025 International Women’s Day celebration, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, has partnered with traditional rulers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to amplify the voices of rural women.
This partnership took place in Abuja to promote the rights and interests of rural women, who often face unique challenges such as limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
Speaking on the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Accelerating Action for Gender Equality: The Voice Rural Women’ the chairperson of NAWOJ FCT, Bassey Ita-Ikpang said it is a call to take deliberate steps in ensuring that rural women are not left behind in the fight for gender equality, economic empowerment and social justice.
“We recognize your unwavering commitment to women’s development and the welfare of our communities, as mother, leader and role model, you have continued to inspire women particularly in rural areas to embrace self-reliance and strive for a better future”.
“Through this collaboration, we will work together to create platforms for rural women to share their stories, concerns, and aspirations. This will help to raise awareness about the issues affecting rural women and mobilize support for their empowerment. ”
The Wife of the Ona of Abaji, President Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers Association HRM Hajiya Hauwa Ibrahim said the traditional rulers pledged their support for the partnership, recognizing the importance of empowering rural women for the development of their communities.
She laments that a lot of things are happening at the palace, especially in the case of gender-based violence.
“At the palace, we have lots of gender base violence cases, we are happy to collaborate with NAWOJ FCT because our vision is to make life better for women and children. The 17 chiefs of FCT are happy to collaborate with you and dont hesitate to call on us whenever you need us. ”
Ibrahim said the Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers Association was birthed in 2019 following the advice of the former first lady, Aisha Buhari.
” The former first lady, Aisha Buhari, saw the need for us to operate as an association in order to make a better impact, we heeded her counsel and the wives of 17 chiefs in FCT came together to form Wives of FCT Traditional Rulers Association. Along the way, we needed the support of our husbands, and that was how they became members to help achieve our mandates. ”
This partnership is a significant step towards promoting the rights and interests of rural women in the FCT. By amplifying their voices, NAWOJ FCT and the traditional rulers hope to inspire positive change and improve the lives of rural women.
