The sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) is currently underway at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, bringing together representatives from Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited NGOs from around the world. This year’s session holds special significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark framework for advancing women’s rights globally.
The focus of CSW69 is a comprehensive review of progress since the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, assessing achievements, persistent challenges, and new strategies to accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment. Discussions also highlight how these efforts contribute to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Nigeria’s Address at CSW69
In a keynote address, Nigeria’s Minister for Women’s Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing gender equality and outlined key achievements:
- Leadership Representation: Nigerian women hold 22% of leadership positions in the private sector, exceeding the global average of 20%. Notably, 40% of the country’s leading commercial banks are run by women, and since 2015, women have consistently led as heads of Service in the civil sector.
- Legal Protections: The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and the Child Rights Act have been domesticated in over 95% of Nigeria’s 36 states, strengthening safeguards for women and children.
- Economic Empowerment: Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria has expanded social protection programs to address feminized poverty, climate action, and the out-of-school crisis. The Nigeria for Women Program aims to reach 4.5 million grassroots women over the next three years.
- Security and Gender-Based Violence: Nigeria continues to combat gender-based violence through enhanced response mechanisms, awareness campaigns, and survivor-centered interventions. Additionally, the National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 ensures that women play a role in national security strategies.
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Despite progress, the Minister acknowledged that women’s representation in elective positions remains below target. Nigeria is pushing for constitutional and legislative reforms to close this gap. She emphasized that now is the time for urgent action—to mobilize resources, strengthen global partnerships, and accelerate gender-responsive policies.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Takes Case to Global Stage
Meanwhile, controversy surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate has reached an international platform, with the lawmaker taking her case to the Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting (IPU) at the United Nations in New York.
The Kogi senator was suspended from the Nigerian Senate after submitting a petition alleging sexual harassment and misconduct against Senate President Godswill Akpabio—accusations that Akpabio has strongly denied. The Senate rejected her petition before suspending her, a move that has ignited widespread debate across Nigeria.
Speaking at the Women in Parliament session at the IPU Meeting, Senator Natasha condemned her suspension, calling it illegal and an example of systemic exclusion of women from political leadership.
“I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition for sexual harassment against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. I thought that by submitting the petition, he would recuse himself and both of us would submit ourselves to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition for a fair, transparent investigation. But unfortunately, I was silenced, and I was suspended.”
She added:
“That means I’m here illegally, but I have no other place to go but to come here and speak to you because this is a bigger picture. It depicts the crisis of women’s political representation. My suspension is not just about me. It’s about the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria.”
The Kogi senator further expressed concerns for her safety, claiming there were indications that she might be detained against her will in New York for speaking out at the global event.
Her case has sparked growing calls from civil society and international observers, who argue that her suspension undermines women’s political participation and due process in Nigeria.
Written by Florence Dr. Florence Omisakin
