The 2024 Womanity Index has recognized Lagos, Rivers, and Ekiti states as frontrunners in combating gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices against women and girls in Nigeria. The report, released in Abuja by Invictus Africa, a civic organization dedicated to human rights and gender equality, surveyed 18,500 respondents, a significant increase from 5,800 in 2023….
A High-Level Technical Working Group on Gender-Responsive Budgeting, Policies, and Institutions has been inaugurated in Abuja to address the rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria. The group, comprising government agencies and international organizations, was launched during a High-Level Dialogue on Investment in Gender Equality and Ending Violence Against Women, organized by UN Women…
The Nigerian government has unveiled a nationwide free cesarean section initiative aiming at reducing Nigeria’s alarming maternal mortality rates. Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the Joint Annual Review (JAR). According to Pate, the initiative will serve as a vital platform for driving the…
An average of 145 women of childbearing age are lost daily to pregnancy and childbirth related complications. Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, who disclosed this, also said that 2,300 children under the age of five daily fail to reach their fifth birthday due to preventable diseases…
Medical and fertility experts have expressed strong skepticism over recent claims that a woman in Cotonou, Benin Republic, gave birth to 11 babies, labeling the story as medically implausible. The report, which has gained attention, was dismissed as a “fairy tale” by professionals in the field of obstetrics and reproductive health. Professor Preye Fiebai, an…
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for the enforcement of tougher laws and harsher penalties for perpetrators of rape, sexual abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV). Speaking at the inaugural Gender and Social Norms Summit organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with her office, Senator Tinubu emphasized…
The United Nations’ Children’s Fund, UNICEF, on Friday warned lactating mothers against feeding their babies with water or any liquid substance other than breastmilk within the first six months of life. UNICEF gave the warning during the 2024 World Breastfeeding Week Flag-off and World Breastfeeding Record Initiative where over 30,000 lactating women…
The President of the Rotary Club of Abuja, Maitama, Rtn. Rosemond Favour Uche, has asked Nigerians to support breast cancer patients in neglected communities. She said the cost of diagnosis and care of the disease was burdensome Catholic bishops urge protesters to be peaceful, orderly He said partnerships with individuals and organizations that were dedicated…
The Delta State Police Command has rescued over twenty victims of human trafficking in the Ughelli area of the state. The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, announced this on Thursday in Asaba. According to SP Edafe, the command received reliable information about a woman named Chinyere, who specializes in trafficking young women from the South-East…
Abdulmalim Zubairu, the member representing Bungudu/Maru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has undertaken a compassionate initiative by sponsoring the marriage of 105 orphan girls who tragically lost their parents to bandits in Zamfara State. During the marriage ceremony, Zubairu highlighted that a committee comprising Ulamas and five women from the constituency was established…
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio, celebrated with her country’s women after a bill banning child marriage, which she championed, was passed by parliament. On June 21, 2024, Sierra Leone passed a historic bill to ban child marriage after girls across the country and Save the Children joined a campaign to criminalise the…
A one-day residential consultation with Nigerian media editors, organized in collaboration with Alliances for Africa (AfA) and Co-Impact, has been convened to tackle the issue of sexual harassment in the country’s tertiary institutions. The consultation aimed to address the widespread nature of sexual harassment, review existing policies and reporting mechanisms, and examine the complexities involved…
President Joe Biden has sharply criticized former President Donald Trump over abortion rights on the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Biden expressed his disapproval of Trump’s influence on the court’s decision. “Two years ago today, Donald Trump’s…
A Ghanaian lady, Nana Ama reportedly passed away a few days after she begged God to spare her life. The lady in a Facebook post on June 3, 2024, wrote: “God please don’t let me die” The circumstances surrounding her death are still sketchy at the time of filing this report. However, one Mhiz Gold,…
A coalition of over 300 women’s organizations, operating under the name Womanifesto, has called for justice in the ongoing detention of Chioma Okoli. Okoli, who reviewed a tomato paste, has been detained following a complaint by Erisco Foods CEO Eric Omeofia in 2023. Omeofia claims that Chioma’s negative review, which criticized the Nagiko Tomato Mix…
In a significant advancement for fertility treatment in Nigeria, a private hospital in Abuja has successfully delivered its first set of triplets through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). This milestone comes as part of ongoing efforts to support women facing fertility challenges. Dr. Christopher Otabor, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, recounted the couple’s decade-long…
The Ministry of Women Affairs has announced its partnership with the Niger State House of Assembly to empower 100 orphan girls through various welfare initiatives. Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye made this commitment during a briefing in Abuja, where she clarified the Ministry’s stance on the issue of mass weddings. Kennedy-Ohanenye emphasized the Ministry’s dedication to its…
A new mum has cried out for help after her husband allegedly abandoned her at the Alimoshso General Hospital in Igando, Lagos State. The newlywed explained that she got pregnant shortly after their wedding and as her due date approached, she developed severe pain and breathlessness and was taken to the hospital where doctors…
Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohannaye, the Minister of Women Affairs, has intervened legally to halt the proposed marriage of 100 orphans in Niger State. The decision comes as a response to the plan put forth by the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, to marry young girls, citing concerns over the increasing number…
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has been designated to stand in for President Bola Tinubu at the prestigious 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Kashim Shettima, initially designated to represent the President, encountered an impediment as his aircraft faced technical issues, compelling him to revise his travel plans…
France government had solidifies women’s reproductive autonomy by enshrining abortion rights in its constitutional framework. During a public ceremony on Friday, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti unveiled the constitutional amendment, marking France as the trailblazer in incorporating abortion rights into its national charter. The momentous decision, announced in alignment with International Women’s Day, reflects France’s commitment…
AKERAN BALIQEES M. H22/MAC/059 The Polytechnic Ile-Ife, Osun State Delving into the intricate landscape of single motherhood in Nigeria, this report sheds light on the critical role support networks play in navigating societal and personal challenges. Phillips Oyinwanwa, a confidant of the involved man, contributes an objective perspective to the narrative. His insights delve into…
On January 27th, 2024, a groundbreaking awareness campaign took place in Karonmagiji Community, Abuja, as part of the “Breaking the Barriers of Women of Leadership” project. The campaign aimed to challenge patriarchal cultural norms and stereotypes that hinder women’s participation in leadership positions and empower women to take an active role in decision-making processes within…
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has confirmed that the police have taken into custody a lawyer named Ekere Ebong, who was seen in a viral video assaulting his wife. This information was given by the minister at a press briefing in Abuja following the weekend incident in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom state. Mrs Kennedy-Ohanenye stated…
The African Development Bank, AfDB has made a case for gender mainstreaming, as part of efforts towards enhancing accountability, transparency and curbing corruption and illicit financial flows in Africa. One of the graduates of the AFdB’s Public Finance Management in Africa Executive Training on Enhancing Accountability, Transparency, and Curbing Corruption and Illicit Financial Flows in…
The Wife of Anambra Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, on Tuesday visited a set of newly delivered quadruplets and triplets, urging pregnant women to take advantage of the ongoing free antenatal care and delivery services in the state. The governor’s wife visited the babies at the Referral Health Centre, Awgbu, and Enugwuabo Health Centre, Ufuma in…
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohanenye, has filed a suit before the Enugu State High Court against a couple for alleged defilement of their nine-year-old daughter. Counsel to the Minister, Chuma Oguejiofor, told Radio Nigeria in Enugu, that the suit was filed on Monday to enforce the fundamental rights of the minor as well…
Mrs. Uju Kenedy Ohanenye, the Minister of Women Affairs, has announced that the Ministry will introduce mobile courts to expedite the delivery of justice in addressing gender-based issues. During her interaction with journalists in Abuja, the Minister emphasised that these courts would be established in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, civil society organisations, the…
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has unveiled a groundbreaking innovation that is expected to save the lives of more than two million women and children at risk of maternal mortality. This announcement came as part of the seventh annual Goalkeepers Report, which assesses progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)…
A lecturer at the University of Lagos, Dr Kadiri Akeem Bablola has been detained after being accused of raping a 20-year-old female undergraduate student in his office. The Lagos state superintendent of police, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this on his X handle. The victim accused the UNILAG Associate Professor of Botany of perpetrating the crime when…
Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has proposed that a portion of taxation on items such as alcoholic drinks and cigarettes be allocated towards healthcare services for women, particularly in rural areas, to help reduce mortality rates. Speaking during her inaugural media meeting in Abuja, she emphasized the need to tax products like alcohol and…
