As the world marks this year’s International Women’s Day, ActionAid Nigeria has called for urgent, concrete, and sustained action to advance gender equality and protect the rights and dignity of all women and girls in Nigeria.
VDCInsights reports that the theme of 2026 International Women’s Day Celebration is “Rights.Justice.Action.For All Women and Girls.
A statement signed by the Country Director, Andrew Mamedu said while Nigeria has adopted important legal and policy frameworks, millions of women and girls continue to face discrimination, violence, and exclusion.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 30% of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, which amounts to about 35.65 million women, and 9% have experienced sexual violence, representing roughly 10.35 million women.
Mamedu also noted “The World Bank also reports that women hold less than 4% of seats within the Nigeria’s National Assembly. Out of the 469-member legislature, 449 seats are occupied by men, while only 20 are held by women.”
He however pointed out that though states such as Anambra and Lagos lead in women’s representation, 15 states including Kano and Sokoto have no women in their state assemblies.
The statement further stated “Data from UNICEF also show that Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world, with girls disproportionately affected, particularly in northern states.”
Mamedu said “Behind these statistics are real lives,as Girls are withdrawn from school due to poverty and harmful social norms. Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence often face stigma, delayed justice, and weak enforcement systems.”
Further more, “Rural women, young women, women living with disabilities, and women in conflict-affected communities experience compounded barriers that limit their safety, voice, and economic opportunities.”
He noted “Although Civil Society Organisations and development partners across the country have consistently invested in women’s rights programming to address these challenges, progress is often slowed down by systemic barriers within government structures.”
Mamedu pointed out” Between 2019 and 2024, ActionAid Nigeria led one of the largest women’s rights programming in Nigeria targeted at promoting women’s voices and leadership, which on one hand successfully supported over 1million women through Economic Empowerment, Political Participation and Protection against GBV, however, structural challenges have continued to limit the pace of impact.”
He said ” A clear example is the ongoing advocacy for the Special Seats Bill, which proposes reserving 74 seats for women to address the severe gender gap in the country and improve Nigeria’s global standing in women’s political representation.”
The Country Director stressed “This reform would clearly and significantly advance women’s rights in a bold and sustainable way, however, it has not been passed.”
He argued that this issue reflects a deeper democratic gap,stressing “Women should not have to struggle for inclusion in governance. Equal political participation is a constitutional right and a foundation for accountable leadership and inclusive development.”
“International Women’s Day must move beyond symbolic commitments. Women’s Rights must be enforceable. Justice should be accessible and timely and Action must be deliberate, properly funded, and sustained.”
Against this background, “ActionAid Nigeria demands that:
The Federal and State Governments in Nigeria must prioritise investment in gender responsive public services that address the specific needs of women and reduce inequalities rather than reinforce them.”
This includes improving access to quality healthcare, especially maternal and reproductive health services, strengthening girl child education, and ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence can access justice, protection, and support services.”
“Federal and state governments must support the passage and implementation of the Special Seats Bill to increase women’s political representation.”
“Federal and state governments must strengthen justice systems to ensure timely and survivor-centred responses to sexual and gender-based violence.”
“The First Lady of Nigeria should spearhead the passage of the Special Seats Bill as a legacy project that will leave a lasting mark on her tenure and that of the President.”
He noted “As a woman, a former Senator, and an advocate for women’s issues, she is well positioned to use her influence and platform to advance women’s political inclusion in Nigeria.”
He called on Development partners to prioritise increased funding for women’s rights and women led initiatives, not cut them”.
He further advocated “We must ensure that activists and civil society organisations are protected from shrinking civic space, authoritarian pushbacks, and violence.”
As we commemorate the International Women’s Day 2026, ActionAid Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to building a society where every woman and girl can live safely, speak freely, claim her rights, and shape her future.