Wife of the Anambra governor, Nonye Soludo, has urged women to become more actively involved in politics and decision-making processes to ensure their voices are represented in governance.

Mrs Soludo, fouunder of the Healthy Living Initiative, made the call in a statement issued on Sunday in Awka to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day, marked every March 8.

International Women’s Day, with the 2026 theme, “Give To Gain”, is devoted to celebrating the achievements of women and seeking gender equality.

The governor’s wife emphasised the need for women to move from the sidelines to the centre of national conversations on gender equality and development.

She said that while numerous discussions and advocacy efforts had been held over the years on improving the welfare of women and girls, there is the need for greater commitment and practical actions to achieve meaningful progress.

“Women must take the lead in shaping their future by participating actively in politics and occupying spaces where key decisions affecting society are made.

“I urge women with political aspirations to take bold steps towards leadership. Be assured that you will get support from stakeholders who desire greater gender inclusion in governance.”

Mrs Soludo commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, for proposing legislation that would reserve a mandatory number of seats for women in the National Assembly.

She described the initiative as a commendable step towards improving representation.

According to her, similar provisions should be extended to state Houses of Assembly to ensure broader participation of women in legislative processes across the country.

Mrs Soludo stressed the need to protect women from harassment, abuse, sexual exploitation, workplace discrimination and other social injustices that hinder their advancement.

She noted that women had consistently demonstrated competence and professionalism when entrusted with leadership responsibilities.

“The Anambra State Government has continued to promote policies that support women and girls by creating competitive opportunities for women to advance within the state civil service.

“Through my pet project, Healthy Living, we will continue to encourage women to adopt healthy lifestyles and participate in community-based initiatives aimed at improving societal wellbeing.

“More platforms will be created to enable women across the state to collaborate and pursue common goals that would strengthen their collective voice and contributions to development,” she said. 

(NAN)