Emphasis on “History” in International Women’s History Month 

International Women’s History Month is a month specially set aside to celebrate and spotlight the incredible and outstanding women breaking barriers and boundaries, and their achievements all over the world. With this year’s themes, Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women, it was important to focus our efforts on spreading the right message and values, with the key message being that “Our women matter, and they deserve better.” 

While we tend to get caught up in celebrating the moment, it is important to remember that it takes more than a day, or even a month, to truly spread the right message, create change, and fully spotlight the achievements of women and girls around the world. It takes consistent effort to build this into a habit and develop the right mindset over time. 

DEFINING MOMENTS FOR WOMEN THIS MONTH 

It is no secret that in Africa, there are very few women holding significant government positions, particularly in Nigeria, where a country over 60 years old has yet to see enough female representation at the highest levels of leadership, while gender-based violence continues to make frequent headlines. 

International Women’s History Month is a period set aside to address these issues, spark meaningful conversations, and drive actions that inspire change and development. The 2026 International Women’s Month took a step in that direction, as different organizations, in their own ways, contributed to spotlighting key issues and celebrating women doing outstanding work, serving as both inspiration and motivation toward building a more desirable future for women, and ultimately, society as a whole. 

The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) joined in a push for a proposed bill to have 72 seats for women in the Nigerian Legislative Houses in a bid to address the obvious gender imbalance in Nigerian government and political systems. 

Emphasizing the importance of this bill, a former House of Assembly member and Commissioner for Women Affairs described it as a crucial step toward breaking down long-standing structural barriers that have limited women’s access to leadership, despite them constituting nearly half of Nigeria’s population. 

This proposed bill promises to be a starting point in shaping a more inclusive future for Nigeria—one that intentionally includes its women. 

While we remain on the topic of encouraging women to participate more actively in governance and advocating for better opportunities, it is also worth noting that this month, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello declared her intent to run for a governorship seat in the forthcoming 2027 general elections. This serves as a beacon of hope to women and girls, showing that they too can aspire to be changemakers and become the change they want to see in their country. 

The Future Project, a youth-driven organization committed to amplifying and supporting the next generation of leaders—particularly those advancing equity, innovation, and transformative social impact across Africa—also marked the month by driving conversations and initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality, building a better society for women, and celebrating their achievements. 

Kicking off its campaign for International Women’s History Month, the organization began with an industry tour immersion, taking 50 young women interested in leadership on a visit to one of Nigeria’s leading brewing companies. The goal was to give them firsthand experience, knowledge, and exposure to what growth and leadership look like for women in today’s corporate world, and how they can position themselves within it. 

This was followed by a series of discussions aimed at driving conversations around inclusion and empowerment, including a webinar on “Digital Inclusion, Technology, and the Future of Women’s Work”, as well as a special podcast episode for International Women’s Day, exploring what it truly means to be a leading woman in today’s society. 

The campaign was capped off by spotlighting “50 Amazing Women Breaking Boundaries,” highlighting women making impact across various fields. This list featured pioneering figures in governance in Africa, such as Sahle-Work Zewde and Olori Ivie Atuwatse III, alongside women thriving in diverse industries like Seun Olagunju, Precious Eniayekan, Ayo Mairo-Ese, Chinasa Anukam, and many more. 

These spotlights serve as evidence that women are seen—that their work, their effort, and the barriers they continue to break are recognized. It gives hope to young girls that their hard work matters and will be acknowledged, reinforcing the idea that our women matter. 

While International Women’s Month may have ended, the conversations and actions needed to create change should not. Great work is being done yet, there is so much more to do. The conversations and actions to empowering our women and creating a more inclusive society cannot be solved in a day or a month, it requires noble and consistent effort to truly see change and development. 

While International Women’s Month may have ended, the conversations and actions needed to create lasting change should not. Progress is being made, but there is still much more to be done. 

Empowering women and building a more inclusive society cannot be achieved in a day or a month. It requires intentional, consistent effort to truly drive meaningful change and development.