Anambra Firstlady Urges Greater Women Participation in Gender Equality, Empowerment

By Uche Eke

Wife of the Anambra State Governor, Mrs Nonye Soludo, has called on Nigerian women to take center stage in the fight for gender equality and empowerment, urging greater participation in politics and decision-making processes.

In an official press statement to mark the 2026 International Women’s Day, themed “Empower Her, Elevate All,” Mrs Soludo emphasized that women must move from the sidelines to the forefront to drive meaningful change.

She noted that despite years of discussions, seminars, protests, and pleas, progress on women’s issues remains limited due to partisan approaches.

The wife of the governor stressed that everyone, particularly women themselves, must lead the crusade for their rightful place in society highlighting the low number of women in politics and urging those passionate about governance to step forward boldly as changemakers.

She commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for proposing mandatory seats for women in the National Assembly, describing it as a model for fair representation even as she appealed for similar provisions at the State Houses of Assembly to ensure tangible impact.

The Anambra First Lady highlighted the Soludo administration’s achievements for women and girls, including truly-free education from primary to secondary levels, free antenatal care and delivery services, free cervical cancer screening that reached over 10,000 women, a dedicated magistrate court for gender-based violence cases, recruitment of over 8,000 teachers with a significant proportion of women, and competitive platforms for career growth in the civil service.

She also spotlighted her NGO, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo, which promotes health priorities among women, building an army of changemakers through workouts, community programs, and empowerment initiatives, including the recent support for 25 women.

Mrs Soludo described womanhood as a blessing of exceptional intelligence, energy, and grace, urging women to fight for their gender and society and called for practical actions beyond advocacy to combat harassment, abuse, exploitation, discrimination, and cultural injustices, noting that empowering one woman empowers a generation.