By Favour Nnabugwu

As Nigeria joins the global movement in commemorating International Women’s Day 2024, under the theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress, we believe the Day serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and the imperative to prioritize the rights and well-being of women and girls worldwide.

This year’s theme underscores the urgent need to invest in women as catalysts for progress in all spheres of society.

This 2024 IWD coincides with the successful conclusion and continuation of efforts to advance childbirth spacing/family planning and inclusive programming supported by The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Nigeria supported training for journalists in eight states across Nigeria, on this 2024 International Women’s Day. These trainings, were aimed to equip journalists with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively report on issues related to family planning, reproductive health, and other related women’s rights issues across the country.

The concluded trainings in eight states have expanded TCI media advocacy support from 13 to 21 states, to further amplify the voices of women and girls and drive positive social change.  This is in addition to efforts on public understanding of science and public health issues across Africa and past efforts built on the concluded Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI).

Dr. Taiwo Johnson, the Chief of Party of TCI Nigeria, says “access to comprehensive family planning services and inclusive health research is essential for women to make informed decisions about their bodies, health, and futures. By increasing investments in these areas, we can empower women to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives and contribute to sustainable development.These need to be championed locally from local, state and national levels.”

As we commemorate International Women’s Day 2024, DevComs Network calls on governments, policymakers, civil society organizations, stakeholders and individuals in the eight states (Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, Jigawa, Kwara, Osun, Sokoto and Yobe) to prioritize investments in women and girls, with a specific focus on family planning and inclusive health research.

By doing so, we can accelerate progress towards achieving gender equality and building a more equitable world for all Nigerians. State-based media organizations in the 8 states and the other mediums in 13 other states will commemorate series of public awareness activities to mark this year’s IWD.