Abuja: Stakeholders have renewed calls for stronger policies, sustained funding, and collective action to advance the rights of women and girls in Nigeria. The stakeholders made the call at the Beijing+30 Women’s Summit in Abuja as the world marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in 1995, focus on women’s empowerment, gender equality, and sustainable development, with a call to action for global progress. The summit was organized by the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement in collaboration with the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN-Nigeria) and Womanifesto.
The stakeholders highlighted that systemic barriers, policies, and underfunding have slowed progress toward gender equity, emphasizing the need for urgent reform to ensure women can fully participate in national decision-making. Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, noted that Nigerian women have enormous potential but are held back by disunity, under-investment, and structural barriers.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that economic empowerment is crucial for financially stable women, reducing vulnerability, enabling participation in decision-making, and supporting children’s education. She remarked, “When women have money, they can achieve anything. Financially empowered women are better positioned to resist domestic abuse, support their families, and engage meaningfully in politics.”
In terms of legislative reforms, the minister expressed concerns about the proposed reserved-seats bill for women, warning that poor design could pit women against one another and undermine progress. She called for strategic consensus-building and intentional negotiation, urging, “We can get more. Why are we negotiating for less?”
Drawing on lessons from China, she highlighted how intentional investment in women transformed outcomes for millions and decried Nigeria’s absence in major continental and global gender platforms, urging women to show up and work collectively to secure representation. She emphasized that Nigeria could not solve gender challenges without unity, honesty, and shared ownership of reforms, stating, “The power of teamwork makes the dream work.”
Prof. Olabisi Aina of Sociology and Gender Studies at Obafemi Awolowo University, in her keynote address, pointed out that Nigeria’s gender-equity efforts remain trapped in fragmented coordination, underfunding, and data poverty. Aina emphasized the need for the Ministry of Women Affairs to drive gender-responsive policies across health, education, agriculture, and planning, ensuring that government action advances women’s rights and inclusion.
She called for a transformative feminist governance model, driven by collaboration, justice, accountability, and data. “Feminist leadership is not about filling seats but reshaping the table and ensuring that women who enter governance understand the issues and can negotiate effectively,” Aina said. She noted that Nigeria is lagging behind its African peers on women’s political representation, calling it a shame for a country considered the giant of Africa.
She identified key pillars for progress, including intergenerational mentorship, gender-responsive budgeting, stronger GBV interventions, feminist data governance, and investment in knowledge production. Aina questioned, “How can you change the situation of women when you do not have data? Data is the engine of transformation.”
Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum and First Lady of Kwara State, reaffirmed commitment towards ending GBV, improving women’s rights, economic empowerment, and participation in governance. Earlier, Mrs. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Co-founder of Amandla Institute, highlighted the need to tackle Gender-Based Violence (GBV), noting progress in some states but emphasizing the need for nationwide accountability.
Adeleye-Fayemi remarked, “The progress of African women since Beijing has been one of five steps forward and ten steps back. We have had to say the same thing over again to different audiences, or we make gains and our losses keep increasing.” She stressed the need for conscientious efforts towards gender equality, women’s rights, ending GBV, and shaping the post-Beijing gender agenda.
The summit also featured panel discussions on ‘Recalling Beijing 1995 (Looking Back)’ and ‘Intergenerational Dialogue (Marching Forward).’