Tag: Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC)

In a bid to provide accurate, timely, and evidence-based information on issues surrounding Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), has launched its SRHR News Update.

This initiative aims to strengthen public awareness, counter misinformation, and foster informed citizen engagement on issues affecting women and girls.

At the Event held in Lagos, the Centre also marked its Silver Jubilee under the theme: “25 Years of Breaking Barriers, Building Futures”, in celebration of its years of dedicated work towards achieving access to justice, promoting gender equality, and ensuring social justice for women and girls across Nigeria and beyond since its inception in 2000.

Speaking at the event, the Speaker of Gombe State House of Assembly, Hon. Muhammad Abubakar Luggerewo, stressed that the SRHR News Update is timely and important, by providing accurate and accessible information, that would help counter misinformation, promote informed public discourse, and strengthen accountability in policies and programmes affecting women and girls.

“Reliable information is essential for both citizens and policymakers in shaping effective interventions,” he said.

In an interview, the Ekiti State House of Assembly and House Committee Chairman on Health, Human Services and Nature Needs, Mrs Abimbola Solanke, described the Initiative as a welcomed development that enables people to get the right information and make informed choices.

“It’s actually a welcome development. It couldn’t have come at a better time than this; when there’s a lot of misinformation out there, and people need to know the facts, they need to know the real situation, the real truth, and that is why this initiative is actually a welcoming one,” she expressed.

The Representative of the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Health, Dr. Mrs. Kemi Ogunyemi, a Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Government on Health, Oluwatoni Adeyemi, said this would help act as a breach to girls and women accessing accurate evidence-based and youth-friendly information.

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“It’s clear that this platform is very strategic and will continue to deliver. When our women have access to credible information, they are better equipped to make informed decisions. So, platforms like this are highly welcomed,” she noted.

The Founding Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, noted that the News Update would provide various assistance to girls and women, such as menstrual cycle calculation, answers to questions hovering around sex, violation, among others.

“We also realized in our engagement with adolescent girls and young women, that some of them don’t know how to calculate their period. We provided means where they can calculate this and we also have a chart box that will provide answers and tell them what to do when they encounter some life issues, like sexual assault, harassment.

“The update is to create awareness, bring information out and also ensure timely commitment of government. The update is going to work and collaborate with the government and civil, providing information that is important. It’s focusing on what the government is doing and louding it for the benefit of women and girls,” Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi explained.

Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) has called on the Federal Government to expedite action on  National Gender Policy 2021-2026, stressing women are less represented in government.

The centre in a statement to celebrate the 64th Independence, noted that Nigeria is not meeting policy targets, and that the goal to achieve 50 per cent affirmative action is far from being achieved.

“There are only 16.2 per cent women commissioners, 11 per cent women local government chairpersons and caretakers. In the Edo election, there was only one woman of 17 governorship candidates. There were also only five women deputy governorship candidates. There is need to put some willpower behind NGP, ensuring women, who make up about 50 per cent of the population, are not left behind. We call on President Bola Tinubu and governors to implement the National Gender Policy,” it said.

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The centre said Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015 should not be repealed by National Assembly, noting such will create a legal gap that makes women and girls vulnerable.

 It, however, sought an  amendment of the Act, not a repeal.

WARDC called on National Assembly to revisit the five gender bills struck out by the Ninth Assembly, adding rejecting bills that uphold women’s rights displaces Nigeria on the democratic scale.

“As we forge ahead into the 65th year, there are interventions that Nigeria needs to make, to secure its place as the giant of Africa. Nigeria is failing in the targets it set in the National Gender Policy 2021-2026. The goal to achieve a minimum of 50 per cent affirmative action is far from being achieved,” it added.