• Super Admin
• 07 Mar, 2026

The conference, organised by the Woman of Substance (WOS) on Friday in Lagos, had the theme: "Give to Gain: The Power of Reciprocity and Support." Speaking, the Executive Director, Gender Strategy Advancement International, Dr Adaora Sydney-Jack, underscored the need for African countries, especially Nigeria to prioritise gender inclusion. Sydney-Jack, also a guest speaker at the event, spoke on the topic: "Gender Inclusion as a Driver of Economic Advancement". She explained that countries with more women in parliament tend to invest more in health, education, and social infrastructure - investments that compound over generations. She lamented that women make up almost half of Nigeria's population, but hold less than seven per cent of political offices, adding that women's representation in the National Assembly is abysmally low. She also pointed out that across Africa, women-led startups receive less than three per cent of venture capital funding, in spite of women reinvesting up to 90 per cent of their income into families and communities, compared to 30 to 40 per cent by men. "In Nigeria alone, women own roughly 40 per cent of small and medium enterprises, yet face disproportionate barriers to credit, land ownership, and procurement contracts. "Gender inclusion is not about adding women to the table. It is about stabilising the table. "Power shared is not power diminished. It is power-stabilised. "A nation that excludes its women will stagnate. "When we educate girls, we gain intergenerational prosperity. When we give women political representation, we gain responsive governance. "Let history record that when this generation was confronted with inequity, we responded with intelligence," Sydney-Jack said. The Managing Director, Nanny Academy, Mrs Amara Agbim, called for a policy structure to build and support the caregiving workforce, which was being majorly occupied by women. Speaking on the topic: "The Nanny Academy Story and its Impact on the Caregiving Economy", Agbim urged employers to reciprocate the efforts and time of the caregiver with adequate payments. She said, "Caregiving is a profession; we need to recognise that they need to be well paid, to enable them to care for themselves, their children and families." A Consultant Gynaecologist and High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) Specialist, Dr Sunday Olowogbayi, urged women to embrace the non-invasive treatment option for fibroid management and care. According to him, HIFU is a non-invasive, precise medical procedure using high-frequency sound waves to ablate targeted diseased tissues like cancerous cells or fibroids without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. Olowogbayi listed other treatment options to include: open surgery - myomectomy, hysterectomy, alongside uterine artery embolisation (UAE), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and hormone therapy. According to him, each of the treatment options is individualised, depending on the age of the patient, symptoms and size of the fibroid, which ranges from small to moderate and huge. Earlier, the Founder, WOS, Ms Ify Onyebule, said the essence of the conference was to engender collaborations and support that would create safe spaces for women to thrive. Onyebule, also Director-General of Imo Broadcasting Cooperation, emphasised the need for greater female participation in leadership, stating that more women in power would lead to positive societal impacts. She said women's underrepresentation isn't just in politics - it's across the board. "What you do to women comes back to you, good or bad. Support women, and the universe pays you back. "To government, open up spaces for women to participate in decision-making. Let's level the playing field in politics and leadership, make room for women to take their seats," Onyebule urged. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the event featured the presentation of awards to some personalities for their outstanding contribution and support to the organisation. Source: https://nextedition.com.ng/women-seek-inclusion-in-governance-decision-making