The Nigeria IWD Awards Gala 2022

International Women's Day is celebrated annually to highlight the contributions of women to the world's development. 

On March 5th, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women, European Union, British High Commission, and the Embassies of the United States of America, Germany and France came together in partnership to host the first ever Nigeria’s International Women’s Day Awards Gala. 

The Awards aim to serve as an incentive to leaders in different sectors to make concerted efforts in creating more opportunities for women and strive to ensure gender equality.

In a statement issued by the UNDP office in Nigeria, “The International Women’s Day Gala and Awards seeks to leverage the opportunity of the representation of 11 key countries in Nigeria by women Ambassadors to advocate for increased women representation in political and governance space, incentivise change by publicly recognising women empowerment champions, encourage decision-makers and policy makers to ensure adequate space is created for women in the spheres of policy and decision making and advance women’s political and socio-economic empowerment.”

In addition to having women in senior positions in the United Nations and other multilateral organizations, Nigeria also presently has women ambassadors in: Benin, Burundi, Colombia, Cuba, European Union, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Nigerian artiste, Cobhams Asuquo (middle)

Nigerian artiste Omawunmi (Omawonder) on stage

Our Founder/CEO, Marvella Odili, was a guest at this high-level International Women's Day Awards Gala where people from top government positions, Ambassadors, civil society and internationally recognized individuals including Chimamanda Adichie and Chief Mrs. Nike Okundaye graced the event.

Marvella Odili, Founder/CEO, Save Our Needy

Marvella Odili(L) with Chimamanda Adichie

Marvella Odili (L) with Chief Mrs Nike Okundaye

The awards celebrated Champions in promoting women’s leadership and gender equality in Nigeria. It recognized achievements by individuals and institutions across categories of: Political Leadership & Governance,  Private Sector, Arts & Culture,  Media & Entertainment, Civil Society as well as a Feature Award on the 2022 IWD theme: Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow as well as a Most Inspiring/Outstanding Woman Leader Award. 

Celebrating ALL women on Women's Day

International Women's Day, celebrated on the 8^th of March, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women - while also marking a call to action for accelerating gender equality. This year's theme is Each For Equal. The IWD 2020 campaign theme is drawn from a notion of 'Collective Individualism.'

An equal world is an enabled world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day. We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal world.

Women's equality can't wait. It's going to take everyone to think and be inclusive - all the time, everywhere so take action NOW.

Let's all be #EachforEqual.

#IWD2020

Happy International Women's Day

Save Our Needy joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Women's Day, today.  The theme for this year is “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change." 

This theme puts innovation by women and girls, for women and girls, at the heart of efforts to achieve gender equality.

Achieving a gender-equal world requires social innovations that work for both women and men and that leave no one behind. From urban planning that focuses on community safety to e-learning platforms that take classrooms to women and girls, affordable and quality childcare centres, and technology shaped by women, innovation can take the race for gender equality to its finishing line by 2030.

It begins with making sure that women’s and girls' needs and experiences are integrated at the very inception of technology and innovations. It means building smart solutions and innovations disrupt business as usual and that go beyond acknowledging the gender gap to addressing the needs of men and women equally. 

The theme means paying attention to how and by whom technology is used and accessed, and ensuring that women and girls play a decisive role in emerging industries.

Today, we celebrate all women, their dreams, their strength, their limitless imagination and ultimately, their resolve to make the world a better place for all. 

Happy International Women's Day!!!

SON Celebrates Women's Day

                                        

Yesterday, March 8th marked another International Women's Day. Our message to women all over the world was: Women Support Each Other. Stop pulling each other down.

Irrespective of age, religion, social class or race, women the world over should always endeavour to support the other woman in thoughts, words and deeds. As the popular saying goes "United We Stand, Divided We Fall."

 Women need each other to survive and thrive in this world known as a "man's world."

We celebrate all women today. Happy Women's Day!!!

We Celebrate All Women Today

Typically, Women’s Day is celebrated all over the world today. From Nigeria to the Republic of Benin where Save Our Needy is actively touching lives, women from all walks of life have come out in large numbers, beautifully attired to celebrate their day.

The SON theme for Women’s Day this year, is ‘’Women: Be An Inspiration To Others’’. In the French language, it is: ‘’Femmes, Soyez Une Inspiration Pour Les Autres.’’

We hope by this theme to see more women become role models no matter where they come from or what social class they belong to. From the poor street seller to top female executives, we hope to see more women becoming a source of inspiration to their children, husbands, co-workers, neighbours and all those they come in contact with on a daily basis.

This year we are particularly celebrating Lupita Nyong’o who despite being black and from Africa, won the Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards (America’s most celebrated movie award) for her role in the movie 12 Years A Slave. Although not from an impoverished background, Lupita is an inspiration to many young, black women all over the world today. If Lupita could do it, why can’t you? As she rightly said, ‘’No matter where you are from, your dreams are valid.’’ Believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams. This is our message to you.

We at SON wish to see many more women at the top. There is room at the top.

We wish women all over the world a Happy Women’s’ Day!!!