Women’s groups renew push for empowerment, political representation

Some women advocate at the Beijing+30 Women’s Summit. Photo credit: Gift Habib

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Activists, policymakers, and diplomats gathered in Abuja on Tuesday for the Beijing+30 Women’s Summit to assess Nigeria’s progress and ongoing challenges in gender equality, three decades after the 1995 United Nations Beijing Conference.

The summit formed part of activities marking the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

With the theme “Holding the Line for Women’s Rights: Looking Back and Marching Forward,” the event was convened by the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement in collaboration with the African Women Leaders Network and Womanifesto.

In her remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, echoed the call for collective action, emphasising women’s economic empowerment and political participation.

“I can’t do it alone. We have to learn to work together. We have to learn to love each other,” she said.

She also warned against women competing against each other for political positions, advocating for consensus-building instead.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim outlined reforms in family and child welfare, adoption, and women’s access to finance, stressing that empowered women are key to societal stability.

In her address, the First Lady of Kwara State and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum, Olufolake Abdulrazaq, called for renewed efforts to advance women’s rights and political representation.

“This gathering allows us to discuss concerns hindering coordinated actions aimed at advancing women’s health, education, economic participation, and inclusion in leadership,” she said.

Abdulrazaq highlighted the need for temporary special measures like gender quotas and reserved political seats, noting that Kwara State has already passed a 35 per cent accommodation bill and six-month maternity leave for working mothers.

She also addressed period poverty, saying many girls miss school due to a lack of sanitary products.

The co-founder of the AIPLA and wife of former Ekiti State governor, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, traced her involvement in the women’s movement back to the Beijing Conference. She described the 1995 gathering as a pivotal moment.

She recounted efforts after Beijing to strengthen feminist leadership on the continent, including the creation of the African Women’s Leadership Institute in 1996.

“We needed a cadre of women across the continent who were grounded in feminist theory and practice,” she said. “Guess what? We were right.” According to her, the programme has produced more than 10,000 women leaders.

Adeleye-Fayemi also referenced the 2000 establishment of the African Women’s Development Fund, which she co-founded.

“AWDF has funded over 4,000 women’s organisations in 42 African countries over the past 25 years with millions of dollars,” she said.

During the address, she presented what she called “the bad news first,” pointing to worsening gender indicators in Nigeria.

According to her, “Nigeria currently features poorly on most global indicators measuring Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.”

She cited the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index ranking of 124 out of 148 countries and highlighted high maternal and infant mortality, child marriage, female genital mutilation and the number of out-of-school children.

“All these issues and more continue to hinder the progress of Nigerian women,” she said.

She contrasted these with areas she described as “the good news,” mentioning expanding awareness of gender rights, improved educational access and the existence of legal and policy frameworks such as CEDAW, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and the Child Rights Act. She also pointed to increased visibility of women in leadership roles.

However, she warned that progress remains fragile. “We did not get these gains overnight, and we did not get them easily, and some of them are slipping from our grasp,” she said. “We cannot afford to be tired, because the forces of regression are never tired.”

Adeleye-Fayemi said the current context requires new strategies. “The challenges Africa faces today require leaders who are prepared to think, build and operate differently,” she said.

During a panel session at the summit, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stressed that political parties must take deliberate steps to create space for women, arguing that meaningful progress will not occur unless party structures commit to inclusion.

“The political space is getting tougher as women are staying away. The role of mentorship is needed. Political parties have to be intentional about women. We need to support one another,” she said.

Nigeria has made legal and policy strides in promoting women’s rights, but significant challenges remain. Cultural norms, limited access to resources, and structural barriers continue to restrict women’s participation in politics, leadership, and the economy.

Laws such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and the Child Rights Act provide legal protections, but enforcement gaps leave many women and children vulnerable.

Women-led organisations and advocacy networks have been pivotal in advancing gender equality, offering mentorship, leadership training, and funding to support women’s inclusion across sectors.

The PUNCH journalist, Gift, has over three years of experience covering elections, security and foreign affairs.

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