As Nigeria marked its 66th Independence Anniversary, the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) has called for collective action to ensure that the country’s independence translates into greater safety, dignity, equality and opportunities for women and girls.
The organisation said Nigeria’s journey to true independence remains incomplete for millions of women and girls who continue to experience discrimination, gender-based violence, unsafe environments, limited access to healthcare and education, economic exclusion and barriers to meaningful participation in public life.
In an Independence Day message, the Executive Chair of WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said the anniversary should be an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect not only on the country’s sovereignty but also on whether citizens, particularly women and girls, are able to enjoy their rights and participate fully in national development.
According to her, independence should be understood as an ongoing journey towards freedom, equality, dignity and justice, requiring collective responsibility from citizens and institutions.
Women’s rights central to national development
Akiyode-Afolabi said WARDC’s recent engagements had reinforced the importance of placing women and girls at the centre of conversations around democratic development, governance and accountability.
She noted that efforts to strengthen access to information, demand effective implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, address technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, protect sexual and reproductive health and rights, and create survivor-centred pathways to justice were all connected to the broader struggle for women’s rights.
“The message is clear: women’s rights are fundamental to the development of Nigeria,” she said.
The organisation also drew attention to the growing importance of the digital environment, saying online spaces should be recognised as part of civic and public life where women and girls must be able to speak, organise, participate and lead without fear of abuse.
It identified cyberstalking, online harassment, image-based abuse, cyberbullying and other forms of technology-facilitated violence as threats that require appropriate accountability and survivor-centred responses.
Access to information key to accountability
WARDC further linked women’s ability to claim their rights to access to timely and relevant public information.
According to the organisation, women cannot effectively demand public services, challenge harmful practices, participate in decision-making or monitor government commitments when information is inaccessible, delayed or withheld.
It therefore called on civil society organisations to make greater use of the Freedom of Information framework to obtain information, document government responses, analyse evidence, advocate for change and follow up on commitments.
The organisation said accountability should extend to both physical and digital environments, while responses to rights violations should protect survivors, respect their dignity and improve access to remedies.
Renewed commitment to women and girls
WARDC said it would continue working with women’s rights organisations, feminist movements, survivors, government institutions, the media, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen laws and policies, improve implementation and build systems that respond to the realities facing women and girls.
The organisation called on government at all levels, civil society, the private sector, media organisations, development partners and citizens to renew their commitment to ensuring that no woman or girl is left behind.
It said Nigeria’s independence should be reflected not only in national sovereignty but also in the freedom, safety, dignity, health, voice and equal opportunity of women and girls.
WARDC urged Nigerians to work towards a country where women and girls can live free from violence, access the information and services they need, participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives and contribute fully to the nation’s future.
