Category: Women Empowerment

Minister Makes U-Turn, Offers Gifts to 100 Orphaned Girls Ahead of their Mass Wedding

24May

By adminNo Comments

Human Rights, News, Nigeria, Religion, Women Empowerment

Minister Makes U-Turn, Offers Gifts to 100 Orphaned Girls Ahead of their Mass Wedding

In a move that has surprised many, the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, appears to have withdrawn her disapproval for the proposed mass wedding of 100 orphaned girls in Niger state. The Minister announced scholarships and provided various gift items to 100 orphaned girls in Niger State on Thursday. This initiative comes ahead of their mass wedding scheduled for Friday, sponsored by Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly. The minister, who initially opposed the mass wedding, citing violations of the Child Rights Act, addressed a press conference in Abuja, where she revealed her efforts to halt the wedding. "I have petitioned the Inspector General of Police and filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to stop the wedding," Kennedy-Ohanenye stated. ...

Meghan Markle Reveals Nigerian Heritage at Abuja Women’s Leadership Event

12May

By adminNo Comments

Nigeria, United Kingdom, Women Empowerment

Meghan Markle Reveals Nigerian Heritage at Abuja Women’s Leadership Event

Abuja, Nigeria - Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, revealed her newfound Nigerian heritage during a women's leadership event in Abuja on Saturday. She described the discovery, made through a recent genealogy test, as "humbling" and "eye-opening." "It's been really eye-opening to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of my discovery," Markle shared with event attendees. She and her husband, Prince Harry, are on their first visit to Nigeria, promoting mental health initiatives for soldiers and young girls. The Duchess expressed her appreciation for the warm reception she received upon sharing her Nigerian roots, saying, "What's been echoed so much really in the past day by men and women alike is 'Oh! We weren't surprised when you ...

World Bank To Fund $900 Million Development Projects In East Congo

10Jun

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

African Development, Congo, Economy, News, Women Empowerment

World Bank To Fund $900 Million Development Projects In East Congo

The World Bank and Congo have signed two funding conventions of$900 million to boost female entrepreneurship and access to water and electricity in the east and west of the country, the Bank said in a statement. The projects will focus on Congo's central west Kasai province and eastern regions. Read Also: 20 Million Farmers In Africa To Benefit From $1.5 billion Emergency Food Facility "These operations supplement a portfolio of operations focused on reinforcing human capital and protecting the poorest households - including women - against socio-economic hazards," World Bank Congo Director said in a statement dated Tuesday but seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The deal was clinched at the end of a two-day visit to Congo by the World Bank's strategy and operations director for...

Kenyan Fighting FGM Crowned World’s Best Nurse

14May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Kenya, News, Women Empowerment

Kenyan Fighting FGM Crowned World’s Best Nurse

Kenyan-nurse, Anne Qabale Duba, has been named the World's best nurse in the inaugural Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award at a ceremony held in Dubai. Anna Qabale Duba, who practices at Marsabit County Referral Hospital in northern Kenya walked home with $250,000 after a panel of judges, championed her work in helping to protect vulnerable women and children in Africa. Duba, the founder of Qabale Duba Foundation in Kenya has been championing against harmful cultural practices against women like female genital mutilation, FGM, and early/forced marriage, alongside empowering women through education, implementing peace-building activities, and advocating for girl-child education. The centre trains women and children and equips them with skills to enter the working w...

Senegal: Health Workers Strike Over Death of Pregnant Woman

25Apr

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Judiciary, Justice, Labour, News, Senegal, Women Empowerment

Senegal: Health Workers Strike Over Death of Pregnant Woman

Health workers in Senegal went on strike to protest at charges filed against six midwives accused of negligence in the death of pregnant woman that sparked nationwide anger. The National Association of Midwives and several other groups in the health sector said they were joining a work stoppage ranging from one to three days. The public health system has been “paralysed,” Mballo Dia Thiam at an umbrella group of healthcare workers called ASAS, said. The health ministry, gave no details about the impact of the strike, saying only that it had “taken steps.” The affair was sparked by the death of a nine-months-pregnant woman named Astou Sokhna at a public hospital in the northern town of Louga. She repeatedly pleaded with doctors to perform a caesarean secti...

FG Launches Cash Grant for Women in Rural Areas

14Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Education, News, Nigeria, Women Empowerment

FG Launches Cash Grant for Women in Rural Areas

The Federal Government Rural Women Cash Grant Programme was flagged off yesterday in Borno and Yobe States. A total of 5,840 women are expected to receive cash grant of N20, 000 each in Borno, while 3,400 women of the same category will benefit from Yobe state. At the flag off on Friday at the Multi-Purpose Hall, Government House Maiduguri, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, explained the importance of the programme to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. She said the Conditional Cash Transfer has been catering for Internally Displaced Persons in Gonikachallari, Bakasi and NYSC Camps due to the peculiarity of security situation in Borno State. “We currently have 12,190 Poor and Vulnerable Households (PVHHs...

Okonjo-Iweala Accepts Apology from Swiss Newspaper over ‘grandmother’ Remarks

1Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Africa, Economy, Trade, United Nations, Women Empowerment

Okonjo-Iweala Accepts Apology from Swiss Newspaper over ‘grandmother’ Remarks

The first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization on Monday welcomed an apology from a Swiss newspaper that had dismissed the seasoned international professional as a grandmother. “It is important & timely that they’ve apologised,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in a tweet. The development economist took over as the new WTO chief on Monday after a long, high-powered career serving as minister of finance and foreign affairs in her native Nigeria and 25 years at the World Bank. But when several Swiss newspapers announced her appointment last month, they decided the most noteworthy thing to mention about the new WTO chief was as a matriarch. “This grandmother will become the boss of the WTO,” read the headline of the article published by the Aargauer Zeitung and...

I Was Surprised Trump Opposed My Candidacy – Okonjo-Iweala

16Feb

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Economy, Finance, Interview, News, Nigeria, Trade, Women Empowerment

I Was Surprised Trump Opposed My Candidacy – Okonjo-Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former Finance Minister, says she was surprised that President Donald Trump's administration could stand in her way of leading the World Trade Organisation (WTO). At a press briefing, the new Director-General of WTO said she did not see it coming. She said she felt she had a good understanding with the US government, which interviewed her about the job twice. "I think I was quite surprised when that came (opposition from Trump) because there was no indication that there was any problem with the US. "I had two good interviews with the authorities and with the administration, so it was a surprise. But that's the way life works. When things happen, you take them in your stride and you move on. "It was wonderful when the Biden/Harris administration b...

Opinion: 5 Reasons Why President Trump won’t Support Okonjo-Iweala as Next WTO Director General – Blessing Mene

31Oct

By adminNo Comments

Africa, China, Economy, Features, Finance, Nigeria, Trade, United States of America, Women Empowerment

Opinion: 5 Reasons Why President Trump won’t Support Okonjo-Iweala as Next WTO Director General – Blessing Mene

This is an opinion article by Blessing Mene. People who want Okonjo-Iweala to become the next WTO Director-General mostly are excited about the prospect of the first female & African to lead the WTO. But President Trump doesn't think that way, here are five secret reasons why President Trump won't support Okonjo-Iweala: 1. He thinks from the perspective of Nationalism and his biggest interest is to have a WTO leader who will stand up to China and other countries leveraging loopholes in the WTO to supposedly "take advantage" of America. Look at how Trump is reshaping to the US Supreme Court and Federal Courts. 2. President Trump's a radical conservative who is currently looking to end the influence of liberals and globalism. That's why he got elected in the first place. He doesn'...

Okonjo-Iweala Makes Final Two in WTO Race

8Oct

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Africa, African Development, Finance, News, Nigeria, Women Empowerment

Okonjo-Iweala Makes Final Two in WTO Race

Former Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has made it to the final stage of the race to the office of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Mrs. Iweala made the final cut with South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee, Bloomberg reports. Okonjo-Iweala has experience working at international governance bodies as a former managing director of the World Bank and as a chairman at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. Yoo is South Korea’s trade minister. During her 25-year career in government, she has helped expand her country’s trade network through bilateral accords with the U.S., China and the U.K. WTO General Council Chairman David Walker will formally announce the results to the institution’s delegates today in Geneva. United Kingdom’s Li...