Nigeria takes three new women and child policies to Accra summit

Nigeria wants African countries to work more closely on women's and girls' issues, and to make sure continental promises actually reach communities on the ground. The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imam Sulaiman-Ibrahim, made the call in Accra, Ghana, at the 10th anniversary edition of the Africa Women Conference (AWC).

The minister told the gathering that Nigeria had crossed an important line at home. She said the Federal Executive Council approved three national documents on 28 October 2026: a National Action Plan on Ending Violence Against Children, a National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management for 2026–2030, and a National Care Policy and Implementation Plan for 2026–2030.

In plain terms, the three documents set out how government plans to protect children from abuse, help girls manage their periods with dignity, and organise care work over the next four years. The minister's point in Accra was that such national plans work better when African countries compare notes and borrow what has already been proven elsewhere.

What the conference is for

The AWC convener, Dr Jumai Ahmadu, said this year's theme is “A Decade of Impact: From Commitments to Action—Advancing Justice, Economic Power and Leadership for African Women and Girls”. She said the meeting brings together women leaders, policymakers, development partners, entrepreneurs, academics, civil society groups, traditional institutions and young people to work out practical answers for women and girls across the continent.

According to Dr Ahmadu, the conference has given women a place to be heard, to let their experience shape policy, to show their businesses and to grow as leaders.

The two-day event has drawn speakers from business, diplomacy, faith and academia. Princess Hauwa Tanimu Aduda, chief executive of Phinada Group of Companies and founder of the PHPA Grassroot Girls STEM Alliance, chairs the anniversary edition. Others listed include Mrs Ngozi Oyewole, president of Commonwealth Business Women Africa; Ambassador Jacquelin Mohair from Atlanta; Dr Cecilia Idika-Kalu, a global security and gender scholar; and Lady Rev. Baabah Djirackor, a political scientist and pastor.

Her Highness Hajiya Hawa Kulu Ibrahim, wife of the Ona of Abaji and Chairman of the FCT Council of Chiefs, is to present a paper on one of the conference sub-themes.

Why it matters at home

For ordinary Nigerians, policies on child protection, menstrual health and care work touch daily life: whether a girl stays in school, whether a child who is abused gets help, and who carries the unpaid work of looking after the young and the old, often women and girls.

What happens next will depend on how the three approved plans are funded and carried out at state and local government level, where most of these services actually reach people.