IWD2025: Foundation Calls for Quick Acceleration of Women Empowerment

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

As International Women’s Day 2025 unfolds across Nigeria and the world, Daurama Foundation has called on government officials, business leaders, community members, and citizens to accelerate quick actions to empower women in the country.

This is even as it added that not whether leaders believe in gender equality in principle, but what specific actions they will take today to make it a reality.

Founder, Daurama Foundation, Dr. Samira Buhari, said: “we find ourselves
at a critical juncture in our nation’s journey toward gender equality. While celebratory messages echo through conference halls and digital platforms, a sobering reality persists”

According to her, “Nigeria ranks 139th out of 156 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, reflecting millions of women whose potential remains constrained by barriers to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and leadership.

“This year’s theme, #AccelerateAction,
represents an urgent imperative challenging us to transform rhetoric into tangible progress.
Building on Constitutional Foundations, Nigeria’s Progress Toward Gender Equality, Nigeria’s path toward gender equality has not been without significant achievements.

“Our Constitution explicitly provides for gender equality and non-discrimination, establishing the
legal foundation for women’s rights. The National Education Policy has created frameworks for universal education, while various states have enacted laws protecting women from violence and discrimination. These achievements deserve acknowledgment, yet they remain incomplete chapters in our national gender equality narrative.”

Buhari explained that, the evolution of Nigeria’s policy environment represents progress in itself. Where once there existed resistance to gender parity principles, “we now see greater awareness and theoretical commitment to women’s empowerment.

“This shift in institutional mindset provides a
foundation upon which to build more substantive change. Despite these advancements, the implementation gap between policy commitments and lived realities remains substantial, requiring urgent attention if we are to translate constitutional promises into everyday realities.”

She emphasised that the persistent challenges: economic disparities and health inequities, “The uncomfortable truth is that for every barrier dismantled, many more remain firmly entrenched.”

She noted that Nigerian women constitute nearly half our population and, “own 41% of
micro-businesses, yet their access to capital, technology, and markets continues to be
severely restricted. The digital divide is particularly pronounced in rural and northern
regions, where approximately 60% of women lack internet access, a crippling disadvantage
in our increasingly digitised economy.

“Research shows that 65.4% of women report experiencing gender-based discrimination in their professional and personal lives. These disparities represent not only social injustice but also economic shortsightedness; closing gender gaps could substantially increase Nigeria’s GDP.

Beyond economics, Nigerian women, She said , face disproportionate health risks. With 512 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, our maternal mortality rate ranks among the world’s highest.

She added that the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Nigeria recently highlighted how women and girls remain disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where they account for over 60% of new infections.

“Gender-based violence continues to threaten women’s security, while limited access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare creates
cascading vulnerabilities that entrench generational disadvantage.

“The time for incremental change has passed. We cannot afford to continue under-utilising the talents, insights, and leadership of half its population.”

She however said that success stories and transformative initiatives amid these challenges, individual success stories will illuminate the path going forward.