Women affairs minister Pauline Tallen has lauded the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and ActionAid Nigeria for promoting women’s cause in implementing the Women’s Voices and Leadership (WVL) project across the country.

MsTallen gave the commendation while commissioning the NAWOJ national secretariat and launching the WVL project in Abuja.

She said the project would address issues affecting women and the girl-child nationwide.

“I want to urge you all to continue the good work you have been doing being the women’s voice. I am so proud of NAWOJ for being the women’s voice, supporting women and addressing the challenges we are facing, particularly in the political sphere,” stated the minister.

She added, “NAWOJ and FIDA are the voice of the voiceless in defending the voiceless and ending Gender Based Violence.”

According to her, women should continue to lobby and push for implementing policies and legislations, especially at the national assembly, to protect women’s and children’s rights.

NAWOJ president, Ladi Bala, said the collaborative efforts would further give room to amplify voices on issues affecting women and promote leadership roles and training for them.

“The inauguration of this office is an epoch event in the history of NAWOJ. It is a milestone for women journalists in Nigeria. We have expanded the scope of NAWOJ to begin to work with development organisations, where we can deal directly with issues affecting women,” Ms Bala explained.

The NAWOJ leader added, “This is made possible through the support of the WVL project. It is initiated by ActionAid (and) aimed at building the institutional capacity of women-led organisations.”

She said NAWOJ would engage with other development partners because “we now have a structure and are working on a financial system, which is transparency and accountability to be an effective financial organisation.”

ActionAid country director Ene Obi explained that the partnership between the two organisations would enable women’s voices to be heard and efforts to address their challenges.

“The WVL is a project from ActionAid through support from Global Affairs Canada to support 100 women-led organisations. We are not detecting what they do, but we see passionate women who want to do something,” Ms Obi said.

(NAN)