IWD: Women are the backbone of society, deserve equal opportunities – Peter Obi

• Obi urged the government to implement policies ensuring at least 25% female representation across all decision-making bodies.
• He emphasised the need for substantial investment in girl-child education to dismantle inequality and foster national progress.

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has stressed the significance of women’s rights, equality, and empowerment as essential drivers of Nigeria’s development.

Marking this year’s International Women’s Day in a statement on Saturday, Obi urged the government to guarantee at least 25% representation in leadership and prioritise girl-child education.

The former Anambra State governor described the state of women’s rights in Nigeria, where women “who have shown enormous resilience remain trapped in cycles of poverty, with limited access to basic healthcare—marked by low neonatal care high infant mortality, education, and other essential services.”

He also highlighted the educational and security issues confronting women, noting that girls represent the majority of out-of-school children in Nigeria and that women are “disproportionately affected by violence, abductions, and other forms of insecurity.”

In his statement, Obi criticised the lack of female representation in leadership, calling the political system a “brutal reality for women” that not only excludes them but actively works to suppress their participation.

“Even for the few women who break through these systemic barriers and secure positions of power, the challenges are relentless,” he wrote.

“Senator Ireti Kingibe and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan are just two examples of women who, despite their electoral victories, continue to face the harshest forms of discrimination and hostility in our public space,” he added.

To address these concerns, Obi demanded urgent action, urging the government to adopt policies ensuring at least 25% female representation across all decision-making institutions, warning that without it, “both elective and appointive women will remain excluded.”

He further pushed for substantial investment in girl-child education, particularly in underprivileged regions, to dismantle systemic inequality and drive progress.

“The time to act is now,” Obi concluded. “Women are the backbone of our society, and the progress of our nation depends on ensuring they have equal opportunities to shape our collective future.”