International

UK Launches Global Women and Girls Strategy to Tackle World Gender Inequality

Published

2 years ago

March 9, 2023

Ochuwa Ibrahim

UK Launches Global Women and Girls Strategy to Tackle World Gender Inequality

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, in commemoration of International Women’s Day, has launched the global Women and Girls strategy which will set out how the UK will work to tackle global gender inequality at every opportunity.

According to a statement on Tuesday from British High Commission; this will include combatting attempts to roll back women’s rights, and work with partners from around the world to do the same.

The statement read that: “For the first time, this strategy commits the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to ensuring that at least 80% of its bilateral aid programmes include a focus on gender equality by 2030.”

It said that: “Progress towards gender equality is increasingly under threat. Issue like climate change and humanitarian crises continue to disproportionately affect women and girls. Attempts to row back on women’s rights, increasing incidents of sexual violence in conflicts in Nigeria, Ukraine and elsewhere, and the growth of violence against women online are compounding the problem.

The statement recalled that at the launch event in Sierra Leone on 8 March, the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:
“Advancing gender equality and challenging discrimination is obviously the right thing to do, but it also brings freedom, boosts prosperity and trade, and strengthens security – it is the fundamental building block of all healthy democracies.

“Our investment to date has improved lives around the world, with more girls in school, fewer forced into early marriage and more women in top political and leadership roles.

“But these hard-won gains are now under increasing threat. We’re ramping up our work to tackle the inequalities which remain, at every opportunity.”

According to the statement, the new strategy puts a continued focus on educating girls, empowering women and girls, championing their health and rights and ending gender-based violence – the challenges the UK believes are most acute.

The strategy also commit the FCDO to involving its entire network of High Commissions and Embassies around the world to deliver the strategy. This will include the British High Commission to Nigeria developing plans and commitments specific to Nigeria and raising the most pressing issues with the Government of Nigeria.

Speaking on the development, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria Catriona Laing said: “Nigerian women lead on the global stage and across different sectors, however many women and girls continue to experience high levels of exclusion and marginalisation. It’s important that every girl and woman has the opportunity to reach her potential, live in freedom, and exercise her rights.

“That is why the UK is investing in areas that we know are fundamental in transforming the lives of girls and women in Nigeria.

“Through our programmes and advocacy, we are supporting women and girls affected by the conflict in North East Nigeria and tackling gender-based violence.

“Our girls’ education programmes have already supported 1.5 million additional girls to access schooling in six states since 2012.

“We have also been supporting civil society to increase political representation and participation for women in this years’ elections and to promote the inclusion of women in political.”

The statement revealed that alongside the strategy, the UK will also develop an ambitious new research offer to help the UK and its partners make investment decisions. In addition, the Foreign Secretary announced a new women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights programme, focused on sub-Saharan Africa, where there are some of the highest rates of child marriage and maternal mortality in the world.

The statement added that reaching up to 10.4 million women, this programme will receive up to £200 million and is expected to prevent up to 30,600 maternal deaths, 3.4 million unsafe abortions and 9.5 million unintended pregnancies.

Separately, as we recognise the critical role Nigerian Civil Society are playing to advance gender equality, protect rights and amplify the voices of women and girls at the grassroots level, the UK is also increasing support for women’s rights organisations and movements. In Nigeria, this includes a new partnership with the Equality Fund, the statement said.

In her comment, co-CEO of the Equality Fund, Jess Tomlin said: “We’re really excited about this partnership because it shows that every sector can come together–with boldness and urgency—to deliver resources to women’s rights organizations everywhere. A just, sustainable, thriving future depends on the solutions of feminist movements, and it’s time for all of us to trust and robustly resource their leadership at scale all across the world.”

This is the first international women and girls strategy that brings together all the UK’s development and diplomacy work. DFID produced a Strategic Vision for Gender Equality in 2018. This new strategy is broader, reflecting all the work of the merged Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
• The FCDO Women and Girls Strategy commits that at least 80% of FCDO bilateral ODA (Official Development Assistance) programmes targets gender equality as a policy objective by 2030.

UK Launches Global Women and Girls Strategy to Tackle World Gender Inequality

International

Nigeria Commiserates with Catholic Church Over Demise of Pope Francis

Published

1 week ago

April 21, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Nigeria Commiserates with Catholic Church Over Demise of Pope Francis

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has expressed profound sorrow at the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, who died on Monday, 21 April 2025, at the age of 88 years.

The departed Holy Father, the political head of Vatican City and the head of the Catholic Church, was described in the statement as a global moral leader whose papacy was marked by humility, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to peace, social justice, and the dignity of all people.

The statement read: “Nigeria commiserates with the teaming population of the catholic church in the country and joins the international community, particularly the Catholic faithful worldwide, in mourning this immense loss. Pope Francis’ deep concern for the marginalized; including refugees, the poor, and victims of conflict, resonated strongly in Nigeria, where his calls for interreligious harmony and solidarity were a beacon of hope amid challenges.

“His historic 2022 apology for the Church’s role in colonial injustices, including the suffering of Indigenous peoples, indeed set a powerful example of reconciliation. Also worthy of commendation is his advocacy for peace in Africa, and other conflict areas in the world, reflecting his universal pastoral mission.”

The statement further read that: “In this moment of grief, therefore, Nigeria extends heartfelt condolences to the Vatican, the Catholic Church, and the Argentine people, who gifted the world this extraordinary pontiff.

“We pray for the repose of his soul and trust that his legacy of mercy, dialogue, and care for our common home will endure.”

Nigeria Commiserates with Catholic Church Over Demise of Pope Francis

International

Chinese National Abducted in Durumi Abuja, as Kidnappers demand N300million ransom

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Chinese National Abducted in Durumi Abuja, as Kidnappers demand N300million ransom

By: Zagazola Makama

A suspected abduction occurred on April 18, 2025, when Mr. Yangi Ming, a Chinese national working at Panda Supermarket in Jabi, was reportedly abducted by unknown individuals.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that Mr Yangi Ming left his residence at Stargate Apartment in Durumi around 1700hrs and was last seen wearing brown shorts and a black polo shirt.

His sister, Aisha Pan, residing in Sharanda, Kano State, later received a ransom demand of ₦300 million, made from Yangi Ming’s mobile phone number.

Chinese National Abducted in Durumi Abuja, as Kidnappers demand N300million ransom

International

India-bound Siblings Arrested with Cocaine at Lagos Airport

Published

3 weeks ago

April 7, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

India-bound Siblings Arrested with Cocaine at Lagos Airport

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested two siblings at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos during a planned travel to India with 5 kilogrammes of cocaine.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said: “Operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested two brothers: John Abugu, 43, and Kenneth Abugu, 31, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, Lagos with 5 kilogrammes cocaine concealed in walls of their suitcases while attempting to board a flight to India.”

He said the two brothers were arrested at the Lagos airport last Thursday following proactive processing of credible intelligence. He said they claimed they were travelling to India for medical treatment but when their suitcases were thoroughly searched by NDLEA officers, whitish powdery substances later confirmed to be cocaine were discovered on the walls of their bags.

Babafemi said in a similar development, NDLEA officers of the MMIA Strategic Command same day, Thursday intercepted a 20-year-old Ghanaian – British man, Parker Osei with 36 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 19.4 kilogrammes packed in a giant travelling bag. The suspect who claims he is a student of Computer Science at East London University, UK, was arrested during the inward clearance of passengers on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand, at the E-arrival hall of the Lagos airport.

In his statement, the techie claims he lives with his parents in the UK but left London about a week ago for Bangkok where he picked up the illicit drug consignment to deliver in Nigeria.

NDLEA operatives in Kogi state have arrested a 33-year-old woman, Ngozi Ogili while moving 3 kilogrammes of methamphetamine from Lagos to Abuja. She was nabbed in a commercial transport bus along Okene-Lokoja highway last Monday. Babafemi said a follow up operation at her point of delivery in Apo mechanic area of Abuja led to the seizure of quantities of Loud and Colorado, both synthetic strains of cannabis.

In Abia state, NDLEA officers on Saturday arrested a 75-year-old grandpa, Nnanna Felix with 1.6 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis during a raid at Umunteke Asa, Ukwa West local government area, while another suspect David Chinemerem, 21, was nabbed with 2,050 ampoules of pentazocine at 7 Nnajiego Lane, Umuode road, Aba last Tuesday.

No fewer than 381 bottles of codeine syrup and 108 tablets of tramadol were seized from a suspect, Abdullahi Adamu along Potiskum-Damaturu road, Yobe state by NDLEA operatives on Saturday, just as raid operations at Osogbo motor park, Onitsha and a house at Oba in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra state led to the arrest of Obinna Sunday and the seizure of 195,000 pills of tramadol. Also arrested during the raid at the motor park was Ugochukwu Ojalanonye with 4.2 kilogrammes codeine syrup and 5.4kg pentazocine.

In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, NDLEA operatives last Thursday arrested 51-year-old Sunday Ayogu with 25 kilogrammes skunk and 90.4 grammes of methamphetamine during a raid operation at Wuse market Abuja, while two women: Faith Etim, 64, and Victoria Etim, 40, were nabbed lasr Friday when NDLEA operatives supported by men of the Nigerian Army raided cannabis plantations in Esuk-Odot community, Odukpani local government area of Cross River State where 250,000 kilogrammes of the psychoactive plant were destroyed on over 100 hectares of farm land.

Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

Meanwhile, while commending the officers and men of MMIA, SOU, Yobe, Abia, Kogi, Anambra, Cross River and FCT commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.

India-bound Siblings Arrested with Cocaine at Lagos Airport