Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, on Friday commended ActionAid Nigeria, a NGO for its supportive role to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs over the years.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, who was represented by Mr Adamu Samaila, a Deputy Director, gave this commendation in Lagos during the Women’s Voice and Leadership Project (WVL-N) close-out event.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Women’s Voice and Leadership Project (WVL-N) close-out event is about celebrating five years of impacting the lives of women and girls in Lagos State.
It was organised by four Local Women’s Right Organisations (LWROs), Women’s Right and Health Project, Women Radio 91.7fm, NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women and the Centre for Gender Economics in Africa, which includes 11 community-based organisations.
The minister said that ActionAid supported the ministry through several programmes geared towards achievement of its mandate.
She noted that ActionAid had been particularly supportive in areas of Violence Against Women and Girls; women’s political participation and governance, and women’s economic empowerment, peace and security.
Kennedy-Ohanenye added that other areas of ActionAid ‘s support were in women’s unpaid care work; commemoration of various women’s international programmes; and mobilising and supporting in the passage of various gender bills currently at the National Assembly.
According to the minister, the NGO has advocated and supported in ensuring Nigeria’s participation at various national and international fora.
Also speaking, Mrs Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, Secretary to the Lagos State Government, said: “In the past five years the WVL-N project has amplified the voices of countless women and empowered them to take on leadership roles.
“It has enabled these women effect positive change in their lives and communities.”
Salu-Hundeyin, who was represented by Mrs Aishat Yakuba, Senior Special Assistant, Cabinet Affairs, said the stories of resilience, strength and triumph that had emerged from the projects were truly inspiring and commendable.
Toun Okewale Sonaiya, Chief Executive Officer, Women’s Radio 91.7fm, said in a goodwill message that with an investment of over N327 million, the project had resulted in transformative change in communities.
Sonaiya, who was represented by Esther Alaribe, Programmes Manager, Women’s Radio 91.7fm, added that more than the numbers, they celebrated the stories of empowerment, the barriers broken and the voices amplified.
“We’ve worked tirelessly alongside state actors, government officials, schools, and community leaders to ensure that women and girls’ issues are at the forefront of policy-making.
“We’ve created safe spaces, implemented innovative programmes and challenged deep-seated cultural practices that hinder progress,” she stressed.
Commenting, Andrew Mamedu, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) said that since the WVL-N project began in 2019, its mission had been unwavering.
Mamedu said that mission was to empower women, confront entrenched harmful cultural practices, and advance gender equality.
He said that it had touched the lives of 698,508 women and girls across 14 local government areas and 46 communities in Lagos State.
According to him, this impact is with generous support from Global Affairs Canada and the tireless efforts of the LWROs and 12 Community-Based Organisations (CBOs),
“Our interventions have created ripples of change, impacting countless women, girls and their families.
“We have established safe spaces and provided legal support for survivors of gender-based violence and fostered women’s economic empowerment and leadership.
“The transformations we witness today are profound and heartwarming,” Mamedu said.
