AAIFF Founder Represents Nigeria at Women Deliver 2026, Engages Global Leaders on Gender, Funding

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

Founder of the All Africans Indie Film Festival (AAIFF), Rebecca Isi Imafidon, has represented Nigeria’s media at the 2026 Women Deliver Conference in Melbourne, Australia, where she engaged global leaders on gender equality, funding, and the role of storytelling in advancing women’s rights.

Imafidon participated in the conference through the Women Deliver 2026 Media Scholarship, joining journalists, policymakers, and advocates from across the world at one of the largest global gatherings focused on the rights of women and girls.

At the media roundtable, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, described women’s rights as “unfinished business,” warning that shrinking development funding and global instability continue to undermine progress.

She noted that cuts to civil society funding could have severe consequences, stressing that such organisations deliver critical last-mile interventions that save lives. Responding to a question on funding access for women-led groups, she said the United Nations was expanding funding pathways and strengthening partnerships to reach grassroots organisations.

Also speaking, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former UNDP Administrator, Helen Clark, highlighted the double standards faced by women in leadership, arguing that strength in female leaders is often mischaracterised as a weakness.

She emphasised the need for more women in leadership positions to normalise strong female leadership, while underscoring the importance of integrity and accountability. Clark also stressed the power of storytelling, noting that narratives, particularly through film, can drive global awareness in ways data alone cannot.

On her part, Executive Director of DIVA for Equality, Noelene Nabulivou, drew attention to the intersection of gender and economic justice, stressing that marginalised groups are often excluded from decision-making processes despite being the most affected by policy outcomes. She advocated for community-led leadership development and more creative approaches to advocacy, including film and storytelling.

Executive Director of Family Planning 2030, Samukeliso Dube, linked reproductive health to economic realities, noting that access to family planning is central to education, economic participation, and long-term development.

Drawing from her medical experience, she highlighted disparities in care and support for women, while emphasising that reproductive health must be understood beyond a clinical lens. She described family planning as a tool of “possibility” rather than control, enabling women to make informed life choices.

During the engagements, Imafidon raised concerns about cultural narratives that define women primarily through motherhood, arguing that while motherhood is important, it should not overshadow women’s identities and contributions in other spheres. The discussion reinforced the need to shift societal perceptions and recognise women as active agents in national development.

Contributors at the conference also highlighted emerging challenges, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Gender and security policy specialist, Visare Berisha, called for increased youth and female participation in decision-making institutions to address evolving risks in the digital space.

Other participants, including United Nations Volunteer and youth advocate Rex Ojochegbe Stephen, stressed the importance of volunteerism as a pathway to leadership and inclusion, while public health researcher Dr. Saranbeer Kaur underscored the role of storytelling in addressing cultural practices that perpetuate inequality.

The conference further reinforced the growing recognition of film as a tool for advocacy. Practitioners, including Nizarat Kalpana of the Pacific Community, noted that visual storytelling can simplify complex issues, drive awareness, and mobilise communities toward action.

Imafidon, whose platform promotes African storytelling through film, reiterated the role of creative media in challenging harmful norms, including everyday forms of gender-based violence that are often normalised in society.

The All Africans Indie Film Festival continues to position itself at the intersection of culture, policy, and advocacy, using storytelling to amplify African voices and influence social change.

The next edition of the festival is scheduled for November 2026, with film submissions already open.