By Palma Ileye
Nigeria has achieved a major diplomatic milestone with the re-election of Mrs. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) for a second four-year term.
The election, held on June 26 at UN Headquarters in New York, was keenly contested by candidates from eight countries. Nigeria emerged victorious with the support of 123 UN Member States, underscoring international confidence in its commitment to advancing women’s rights.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, hailed the outcome as a landmark achievement that reinforces Nigeria’s leadership in promoting gender equality globally. She noted that the victory builds on progress recorded during the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), where Nigeria secured commitments from several states—including Edo, FCT, Kwara, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, and Zamfara—to accelerate domestication and implementation of CEDAW.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim emphasized that Nigeria’s continued representation on the CEDAW Committee will amplify Africa’s voice in international human rights discussions and ensure that global standards on gender equality translate into tangible benefits for Nigerian women and girls. She credited the success to a coordinated whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, involving ministries, state governments, the National Assembly, civil society, traditional institutions, and development partners.
She also highlighted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises women, children, families, and vulnerable groups, and acknowledged the contributions of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
Congratulating Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Minister expressed confidence that she will continue to serve with distinction and professionalism. She described the victory as one for all Nigerians, demonstrating what can be achieved through visionary leadership, strategic diplomacy, and national unity.
