NAWOJ commemorates 2025 Int’l Women Day in Bauchi urges equal opportunities for women

Segun Babatunde Awofadeji, Bauchi

Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Bauchi State chapter has marked  this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) with a call for collective efforts from government, organizations and individuals to remove all forms of barriers impeding women’s progress to give equal opportunities for the women to excel in their various endeavours.

Also, as part of events to commemorate the Day, the NAWOJ, Bauchi state Chapter in partnership with the Office of the Special Adviser to Governor Bala Mohammed on Media and Publicity trained her members on career mentorship to enable them excel in journalism work.

Speaking during the training,  which held in the NUJ Secretariat weekend, the Chairperson of  NAWOJ in Bauchi, Hajiya Rashida Yusuf, appreciated the Special adviser Comrade Mukhtar Gidado for supporting the association celebrate the IWD in a grand style and also thanked office of the SDGs for their support.

The chairperson who called for the removal of barriers in order to foster an environment of equal opportunities for women,said, this year’s IWD with the theme “Accelerate Action”, indicated calls for rapid advancements in gender equality.

According to her, the theme encourages collective efforts from governments, organizations and individuals to remove all forms of barriers impeding women’s progress to give equal opportunities for the women to excel in their various endeavors.

Hajiya Yusuf further explained that the day is set aside to mark women potentials in advancing sustainable development in the global community.

The Bauchi NAWOJ chairperson added that the theme came at a time when all stakeholders focuses on recognizing strategies and tools that drive women’s progress in education, employment, health and leadership.

She said Nawoj amplifies success, progress of women at all levels and also focused on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls as well as elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private Sectors.

“We have realized that women are not only more affected by these challenges, but also possess the ideas and leadership capabilities to solve them”, Hajiya Yusuf disclosed.

While stressing that the idea of choosing SDGs to discuss on all SDGs goals that

affects women is important to the female journalists, Yusuf maintained that the choice of the topic was aimed at achieving all the goals of the SDGs

which is gender equality and empowerment of women and girls,

nutrition’s among other goals.

She said, “the Agenda for sustainable development and the 17 sustainable

development goals as adopted by world leaders in 2025, embodied

a roadmap for progress that our association is aimed to achieve”..

Hajiya Yusuf also stated that the Bauchi State Chapter of the NAWOJ has been in the fore front of mentoring of women and girls as part of its commitment to develop their skills, “because NAWOJ considers it part of its responsibilities to mentor and support women in order to aid their professional development, build their confidence and guide them throughchallenges of life as they advance in their careers”.

She therefore, urged her members and all women and girls across Bauchi state to consider the initiative and support as a positive move to achieving the advancement of women in the state.

While assuring NAWOJ’s commitment in achieving all the goal of the SDGs, Hajiya Yusuf reiterated the determination of her leadership to further show more

support to members in the area of training and re-training within and outside Bauchi state in order to achieve the desired objectives.

In her presentation the Director General of the SDGs, Bauchi State, Lydia Shehu emphasised the need for women to base their equality in their intellectual capacity rather than physical strength.

She said “Gender equality is not about physical strength  but the brain. Women need to be on the decision making tables. Let us diversify and break even, stop using yesterday’s method to support today’s problem, ”.

Also Facilitating, Dr Elizabeth Sab’atu Danladi enjoined members of NAWOJ to incorporate the use of SDGs and ADGs to give their report a global feel.

She said such  contents would create vast awareness, promote actions on gender equality amongst others stressing that the SDG 1 to 17 have a direct impact on women, adding that gender equality should be prioritised to boost participation in all facets of human endeavour.

Dr Danladi also advocated for proper mentorship amongst women Journalists and emphasized partnership in areas of capacity building, mentorship and idea generation.

Highlights of the activity was presentation of gifts to NAWOJ members for commitment and resilience to lifting the Association to a greater heights.

In another development, to commemorate the IWD, Mu’azu Hardawa presented an award of excellence to the State chairperson for her immense contribution to the practice of journalism. END