Follow Us on Google
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria, on Monday, marked the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) with various women and girls groups in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, with a call on all stakeholders to turn words into action to support, empower women and girls to ensure accelerated health for them.
The Senior Regional Medical Manager in charge of Benue State, Dr. John Ugboji made this call at a forum put together by the foundation as part of activities to mark the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD), in Makurdi, on Monday.
Ugboji also noted that there was need to accelerate action to empower women and break down barriers that impede their health, equality and opportunity.
He said the foundation places enormous value on women and girls in the society, which is why most of their programme is anchored around bettering the lives of women, girls and children.
He noted that the value of women and girls cannot be over emphasized, insisting that the foundation would continue to prioritize issues of women and girls so as to give them sense of belonging. “We pledge to continue to support to even make out own lives better,” he added.
Also speaking, Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, Steve Aborisade, stressed the need for leaders at all levels to turn commitments into action to accelerate development for women and girls.
According to him, a just and equitable world can only be possible when women and girls could claim their full rights, power, and potentials.
“AHF Nigeria joins the global movement to demand an end to the inequities that hold women and girls back.We must support women and girls in our society to accelerate action by giving free education to girl child, empower them through positive venture. This is the only way to reduce HIV and eradicate the scourge amongst them.
Representative of the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Obatomi Joy, lamented that over the years women are being neglected making them to look down on themselves.
Other News
She called for a change of attitude even amongst women and other members of the society in order to accelerate their growth, saying “We must give women the respect they deserve in the society in order to accelerate progress. Women must stop stigmatizing themselves in order to achieve success.”
Obatomi who pledged that State government would continue to partner with relevant organisations such as AHF to promote healthy living for all, assured that the Ministry would continue to ensure that all women and girls in Benue have equal access to healthcare.
On her part, the Director of Women Affairs, State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Magdalene Andor, commended AHF for what they are doing in the State’s health sector especially their strategic approach to menstrual health as well as Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV among women.
While lamenting that many women are being faced with menstrual poverty, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, (SGBV) and stigmatisation, Andor commended AHF for their efforts in tackling them.
She added that in order to accelerate action and tackle the issue of SGBV, the State government has established a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) where survivors of such act can seek justice and equally be treated.
Mrs. Andor enjoined women to stop looking down on themselves, saying that most men rely on them for ideas that make them take actions and stand out among their peers, urging the people to always report cases of GBV to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
The State Nursing Coordinator at AHF, Ruth Atabo, described the theme of this year’s celebration, “Accelerate Action”as a worldwide call to acknowledge strategies, resources, and activity that positively impact women’s advancement, and to support and elevate their implementation.
The event was used to acknowledge Mentor Mothers, Program designed to empower women living with HIV by providing them with necessary skills and knowledge to mentor other mothers in the same situation. They include HIV-positive women who have gone through PMTCT program with a successful outcome and are willing to assist other mothers to do the same.
She said AHF celebrate and appreciate the work women do, especially mentor mothers, to impact the society saying their focused intervention has positively enhanced their advancement and implementation of innovative strategies to prevent the transmission of HIV, reduced stigma and discrimination, improved the quality of life of people living with HIV and eliminate mother to child transmission.
