Advancement of women is central to peace, prosperity and sustainable development, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim has said.
The minister stated this recently at the Global Leaders Meeting in Beijing, with the theme: One Shared Future: New and Accelerated Process for Women’s All-Round Development.
She said 2025 holds profound significance, marking 80 years of the United Nations, 30 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 25 years of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security and 30 years of Global Social Development Agenda.
The ninister said Nigeria’s establishment of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development as the national institutional mechanism for gender equality and social inclusion remains a cornerstone for coordinating national action, mainstreaming gender and protecting women, children and vulnerable groups.
According to her, despite this progress, challenges persist, but guided by the Renewed Hope Agenda of the president, Nigeria is advancing transformative reforms that position women, children, the family and all vulnerable groups at the centre of national renewal.
She highlighted major consolidated frameworks that include the National Gender Policy, 2021 to 2026, National Women’s Economic Empowerment, WEE, Policy, (2023), National Policy on Ending Child Marriage and the Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2025–2030), and many other legal instruments and frameworks designed to expand opportunity, protect rights, strengthen resilience and increase investment.
In order to translate these frameworks into measurable outcomes, she added that Nigeria is implementing the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions- 774 (RH-SII-774); a coordinated national delivery platform operating across the 774 local government areas. “The programme integrates nine mutually reinforcing pillars that drive women-centred, children protected and family-focused transformation.
“These programmes are already reshaping local economies, driving inclusion and demonstrating the power of gender-responsive delivery on a scale. For example, Nigeria’s effort in addressing women’s representation in politics and elected positions through the Special Reserved Seats Bill soon to be passed and adopted by parliament and endorsed by the federal government”, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim stated.
In realising this ambition, she said Nigeria must bridge an estimated $1.2 billion financing gap over the next five years. “We are therefore mobilising blended finance, strengthening partnerships with the private sector and leveraging impact-investment instruments to sustain these transformative interventions”.
The ninister said Nigeria reaffirms that empowering women is not an act of charity, but an investment in productivity, peace and shared prosperity. We have moved from commitment to action, from promise to measurable progress, determined to ensure that no woman is unseen, no girl unheard, no child is forgotten and no family is left behind.
The Beijing meeting was attended by Heads of State and Government, Parliament Leaders, Vice Premier-level and Minister level officials, and diplomatic envoys from about 100 countries and representatives of international organisations.
