IWD: Women Advocates for Gender Equity, Economic Empowerment to Advance Rights

Esther Oluku

In commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD), women in business and leadership across various industries worldwide have called for strengthened advocacy and action on gender equity and economic empowerment to advance women’s rights in Nigeria.

These concerns were raised at the Women’s Rights in Human Rights Conference, held in Lagos with the theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, and Empowerment.”

The event, organised by the Advocates for Health and Rights of Women and Youth Initiative (ADHERI), brought together women business leaders worldwide to discuss strategies for advancing women’s participation in society.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, ADHERI Co-founder Emmanuel Etim noted that through dialogue and action, women can catalyse real progress, advance participation, and enhance their opportunities in the marketplace.

Etim said, “Part of our key objectives is to empower women by helping them understand their rights, raising awareness, and providing platforms for them to connect. “

Communication and Governance Consultant at the World Bank USA, Emana Shunnom, outlined three areas of systemic change, stating that to advance women’s participation, gender quotas need to be introduced in leadership, gender-based budgeting needs to be adopted to accelerate impact on women’s advancement, and women’s empowerment must be prioritised.

“Countries that have introduced gender quotas in government and corporate boards have seen a significant rise in gender representation. Gender-based budgeting ensures that government and institutional funds are allocated to advance women’s opportunities.

“Research has shown that women with financial independence are three times more likely to enter leadership roles. To change the leadership landscape, more women need economic leverage,” she said.

In her keynote address, Arise Television Presenter Rolake Filani highlighted the economic imperative of gender equality, underscoring the critical role women play in economic development. She urged both men and women to be unapologetic in their advocacy for gender equity.

Drawing on Nigeria’s current social and economic context, she stated that while “hope is the currency we all trade in Nigeria,” complacency can hinder progress.