Aniefon Dick
“30 Years After Beijing, gaps still exist in women advancement issue in Nigeria”- Emem Okon
Thirty years after the historic Beijing Conference on Women (1995) set a global agenda for gender equality, women’s rights advocates in Nigeria have gathered to assess progress, celebrate achievements, and push for further action.
The Kebetkatche Women Development and Resource Centre hosted a high-level review meeting in the South-South region, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss advancements and lingering challenges in women’s empowerment.
Dr. Emem Okon, Executive Director of Kebetkatche, emphasized the need to evaluate women’s participation in governance, policy impact, and societal transformation.
“We are here to assess how far we’ve come in advancing women’s rights, the policies that have been implemented, and what civil society is doing to further empower women. It’s not just about having women in leadership positions, but about the real power and influence they wield at community and national levels,” she stated.
Photo credit: Aniefon Dick
The review process was focused on the 12 critical areas outlined in the Beijing Platform for Action, including poverty, education, health, human rights, political participation, and the environment. While acknowledging notable improvements across the six South-South states, Dr. Okon raised concerns about the declining representation of women in Nigeria’s national leadership.
“Women’s participation in governance remains alarmingly low. In this administration, the number of women in the Senate has dropped, and in the House of Representatives, we now have only 4% representation. We need urgent measures to reverse this trend,” she warned.
Recalling the landmark 1995 Beijing Conference, Prof. Roibito Ekpiken-Ekanem, Executive Director of Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Centre, described it as a turning point for women’s rights worldwide. “For the first time, women were given a global platform to demand change. The Beijing Declaration empowered us to create awareness and advocate for gender equity in every sphere—education, health, leadership, and economic empowerment,” she noted.
Prof. Ekpiken-Ekanem emphasized that the conference was not just about equality but about equity, enabling women to claim their rights without undermining collaboration with men.
“This platform has emboldened women to speak out against injustices, participate in governance, and influence community decisions. It has brought Niger Delta women out of their closets, giving them a voice in spaces where they were once silent,” she added. Adding a legislative perspective, Hon. Itoro Etteh, a member of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, called for greater representation of women in decision-making.
“If women can build peaceful homes and communities, why can’t they lead in politics and policymaking? Women must step forward—we have what it takes to govern and shape policies,” she urged. She commended Kebetkatche Women Development and Resource Centre for championing women’s empowerment but stressed that the fight for gender inclusion is far from over.
“This is a work in progress. We must all get involved to ensure that women’s voices are heard, respected, and acted upon,” she concluded.
As Nigeria marks three decades since the Beijing Declaration, the discussions at the review meeting underscored that while progress has been made, systemic barriers, gender biases, and policy gaps still hinder full gender equality. With renewed calls for action, stakeholders are urging government agencies, civil society, and the private sector to invest in policies that increase women’s participation in governance, improve access to healthcare and education, and create economic opportunities.
The message from the review is clear: the fight for gender equity is not over, and the next phase requires bold, strategic actions to break remaining barriers and create a more inclusive Nigeria.
