IWD: Imo Women Advocate Gender Equity, Safe Spaces

Nigerians have been called upon to shun stereotyping and to help foster safe spaces for women and girls.

The call was made at a dinner organised by Hague Institute For Innovation of Law (HIIL) in collaboration with SHE – Inspires, Lead, Develops (SHEILD) Initiative in Owerri, the Imo State capital to commemorate the 2025 International Women’s Day.

HIIL Nigeria country representative, Dr Ijeoma Nwafor, said the organisation was in Imo State to engage people on how people-centred justice can play a role in promoting women’s rights, gender equality and empowerment of Nigeria as a whole.

According to her, it was an evening to provide a platform for networking and collaboration among individuals and organisations focused on advancing women’s rights.

She maintained that women had made huge contributions to improve lives world over and called for respect for women’s rights, which she maintained were human rights.

Executive Director of SHE – Inspires Lead, Develops (SHEILD) Initiative, Mrs Amaka Nnah, said the event was to provide a platform for women and girls drawn from different sectors to share lessons which will help to their improve lives and provide a mentoring platform.

The participants called on fellow women to start supporting themselves and shun stereotyping that violated basic rights.

The women challenged themselves to go beyond natural traditional roles of child-bearing and home keeping, even as they noted that women and girls must strive to be exceptional.

Dr Vivian Dimgba said empowerment required information, improved mindset even as she called on them to always improve themselves in their chosen endeavour.

The dinner, sponsored by HIIL, brought together men, women, and young girls drawn from different sectors to discuss the challenges women face and lessons on how to improve safe spaces and gender equity.