The UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, says economic empowerment of women and girls is central to sustainable development, noting that sustained progress, predictable and innovative financing is essential for positive results.
Gumbonzvanda stated this in Abuja, Nigeria at a press conference, held to update journalists of a her tour of rural communities and a strategic engagement to strengthen partnerships with government, development partners, civil society, and the private sector.
She further explained that “empowering women is key to strengthening communities and enhancing resilience.”
“Investments such as WASH facilities and the Kwali agro-processing centre reduce unpaid care burdens, enhance productivity, and expand income opportunities. Gender-responsive budgeting ensures that resources are allocated to programmes that benefit women, whether in agriculture, enterprise support, or skills development. Empowering women economically is not charity; it is innovative development with benefits that extend to entire communities,” Gumbonzvanda noted.
She lamented that globally, nearly one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, stressing that effective legal frameworks and inclusive governance are essential to reversing this trend.
“Over the past days, I have engaged with members of the National Assembly, diplomatic partners, the United Nations Country Team, civil society organisations, and community women who are driving progress at the grassroots level. I commend the National Assembly’s strong commitment to strengthening legislation that protects women and girls and advancing measures that expand women’s participation in governance.
“My discussions with ambassadors accredited to Nigeria also underscored the importance of enhanced regional cooperation, particularly across the Sahel and West Africa, where women’s leadership and peace building efforts are indispensable for stability and sustainable development,” she said
Recounting her experience during her tour and engagements with rural women, the UN Women Deputy Executive Director said the mission has also allowed her to witness the tangible impact of UN Women’s work in communities.
Gumbonzvanda said; “The commissioning of new WASH facilities and a rehabilitated agro-processing centre in Kwali demonstrates how targeted investments improve women’s safety, reduce time burdens, and expand income-generating opportunities.
“Globally, access to safe water and sanitation reduces the time women spend on unpaid care work, enabling greater participation in economic activities. I have reiterated UN Women’s commitment to coordinated, multi-sectoral action, particularly on GBV prevention, women’s economic empowerment, and advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Nigeria. Evidence shows that integrated approaches improve outcomes by up to 40% compared to siloed interventions. This means stronger joint programming, harmonised advocacy, and shared accountability for results.”
She re-echoed the critical challenge caused by technology-facilitated gender-based violence, which is rising globally and nationally.
Gumbonzvanda reiterated UN Women commitment to supporting national efforts, working with all partners to translate commitments into measurable and transformative results.
“Between 16% and 58% of women worldwide experience some form of online or technology-facilitated GBV, depending on the region (UN Women, 2022). UN Women is supporting the government and stakeholders to strengthen policy frameworks, enhance digital safety, and promote accountability for online harms. UN Women will continue to mobilise partnerships across government, development partners, and the private sector to ensure that frontline organisations and national institutions have the resources required to deliver lasting change. Nigeria has demonstrated strong leadership and a clear commitment to advancing the rights of women and girls. UN Women stands ready to continue supporting these national efforts, working with all partners to translate commitments into measurable and transformative results,” she noted.
Speaking on women representation in leadership, Gumbonzvanda emphasised that under-representation undermines gender equality and slows structural development and challenges.
She said; “Global data on women’s political representation highlights the urgency of affirmative action: as of January 2025, women hold only 27.2% of parliamentary seats worldwide.
“This under-representation undermines gender equality and slows structural change. Quotas and temporary special measures are globally recognised as effective tools to accelerate women’s participation in governance.
“I welcome Nigeria’s proposed Special Seats Bill, which aligns with these best practices. Its adoption would ensure that women’s voices shape legislation, budgets, and national priorities. Affirmative action is not symbolic; it is strategic, strengthening democracy, improving accountability, and ensuring that issues affecting women and girls receive due attention.”
For her part, the, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong commended the media for championing the advocacy, against gender based violence.
The Deputy Executive Director was accompanied by the Deputy Executive Director, UN Women Central and West Africa, Maxime Hounato
The visit was to deepen partnerships, Aæreinforce national leadership, and accelerate collective action to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Nigeria. The tour was part of activities marking the 16 days of activism against gender based violence