The National President of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Mernan Femi-Oluyede, has called for urgent global partnerships to address the psychological and economic toll of conflict on military and police families in Nigeria.
She made the appeal during a side event at the 70th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the United Nations, themed “Economic Empowerment as a Pathway to Justice: Advancing Women’s Financial Inclusion to Promote Legal Equity and Prevent Violence.”
“Our husbands go to work. They come back home. We don’t resolve trauma. And there is a chronic shortage of mental health services
She described wives, widows and children of security personnel as “ground zero” of Nigeria’s insurgency since 2009.” Femi-Oluyede said.
“We have sisters whose husbands went to work and never came home, or came home without a limb, or in a coffin,” she said, warning that untreated trauma often manifests in “domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence, mental health challenges, and addiction.”
Renowned physician Philip Ozuah echoed the concern, noting the invisible scars carried by service members and their families. “This trauma, not silently, converts itself during military and law enforcement service,the scars of service come in many forms,” he said, pledging “financial, technical support.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, aligned the initiative with government priorities. “As women in Nigeria, what we need is engagement… The more we understand, the more we can accelerate action,” she said, adding, “We are here to ensure that the people who serve Nigeria have peace of mind.”
Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, Ambassador Syndoph Endoni, also pledged support: “Partnership is the key, we will continue to work with you to take the available resources from the UN system to support all that you are doing.”
At the grassroots level, Helpline Foundation’s Jumai Ahmadu warned that financial vulnerability exposes women to exploitation. “Most of these women are just surviving, these loan sharks latch onto the vulnerability and exploit them,” she said.
Representatives of service associations reinforced the call for empowerment. Ngozi Aneke of the Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association said programmes ranging from cancer screening to skills training aim to ensure women “don’t rely on their husbands and gain financial independence and voice.”
Police Officers’ Wives Association representative Oluwafunmilayo Disu stressed the importance of stability at home: “Keep the home front stable so they can deliver.”
Moderating the session, Inimfon Etuk concluded with a call for unity: “Collaboration is the currency for partnerships today.”