IWD: AHF Nigeria urged end to stereotypes against women, girls, advocates equal healthcare

From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the year 2024 International Women Day, (IWD) celebration, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria, has called on all to end the stereotypes that hold women and girls bound from reaching their potentials.

In a statement signed by the AHF Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Dr. Steve Aborisade, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, the organization said there was need for more inclusive and equitable world for women and young girls.

He said this call cannot be over emphasized, particularly the need to shed the suffocating stereotypes, stigmas, and discrimination that keep women and girls worldwide from realizing their true potential and succeeding.

He said for this year’s celebration , AHF planned engaging and purposeful conversations with Nigerian women across it’s 154 facilities in seven states of operation including Abuja – FCT, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Kogi and Nasarawa states respectively.

Abosrisade acknowledged the incredible strides women have made towards equal rights, including access to healthcare, while remembering that the world still has a long way to go before women are empowered, safe, and healthy worldwide.

According to him, the engagements with the women at these locations will empower women to take charge of their health while overcoming barriers to help them thrive.

He said AHF Nigeria’s International Women’s Day event also include Continuous Medical Education (CME) by AHF Nigeria state teams and psychosocial coping mechanisms to empower the women and enhance their resilience in the face of the daunting challenges many are faced with.

He announced the distribution of free sanitary pads to the women during the engaging conversations in the respective states.

‘’The need for more inclusive and equitable world for women and young girls cannot be over emphasized, particularly the need to shed the suffocating stereotypes, stigmas, and discrimination that keep women and girls worldwide from realizing their true potential and succeeding.

He quoted the AHF Nigeria Country Program Director, Dr. Echey Ijezie as saying that “It is thus important to ensure that women have all they need to succeed, including equal access to health care, education, and employment,”

He explained that from the records obtained from UNAIDS, women and girls make up a disproportionate amount of people living with HIV globally.

He noted that, in 2022, 4,000 girls and young women aged 15 to 24 worldwide acquired HIV every week, while International Women’s Day was founded in 1911 and is observed annually on March 8.

“The day recognizes the political, cultural, and economic achievements of women to accelerate their rights.

“AHF created its Girls Act program, which works across nearly 40 AHF country teams, to help young women and girls stay HIV-free (or on treatment if HIV positive), keep them in school, and avoid unplanned pregnancies.

“AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is a global non-profit organization providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to over 1.9 million people in 46 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Europe”, Abosrisade stated..

He disclosed that AHF are currently the largest non-profit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the world.

The theme of this year’s international women day is Women’s Empowerment = Healthy Women.

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