Mr. Aaron expressed his gratitude to all participants who took out time to be here. He said it is indeed a privilege to be here. He showed his appreciation to the partners for making this to become a reality and emphasized the importance of ensuring the voices of our adolescent and young girls are heard in decision and policy level. He went further to share his joy and satisfaction to NACA for their support thus far. Mr. Aaron believes that whether it is TB, Malaria or HIV, adolescents should be involved in this integrated approach to put an end to gender inequality. The project works in partnership with a diverse group of stakeholders, including the state Ministries of Health, Education, and Information, the private sector, community leaders, and civil society groups to ensure optimal coverage and effectiveness of all interventions.
From UNAIDS delivered by Dr. Oluwafisayo
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She informed us that Dr. Leo Z, UNAIDS Nigeria country Director sends his greetings. She started off by expressing her thanks to us all for being here because it is indeed our duty to contribute to our country. She highlighted that putting an end to gender-based violence is very key because without this, we cannot empower women and girls to ensure all enjoy healthy lives. This is why it is good that key stakeholders are lending their voices to speak against the issues surrounding this. She urged that as a country, we need to do better to close the gap and address these inequalities. She affirmed that she is positive that the GEF will contribute its own quota towards this. She also reminded us that we cannot achieve the SDG goal on gender equality unless we intensify our efforts towards the issues related to gender and that we also need to have measures that addresses this. Dr. Fisayo assured us of UNAIDS commitment to ensure everyone enjoys free rights. She ended by saying we have to close the gaps concerning gender inequality and health to create a gender equal country where everyone’s rights are fulfilled.
From the Honorable Minister of Youth, delivered by Miss Habiba
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She expressed the Ministry's strong commitment to the empowerment and upliftment of women and girls across the nation. The Ministry recognizes the pivotal role that women and young girls play in the development of society, and as such, remains dedicated to creating programs and initiatives that foster their growth and ensure equal opportunities. Miss Habiba emphasized that addressing the needs of women and girls is a top priority, and the Ministry will continue to support efforts aimed at enhancing their education, health, and leadership roles in all sectors.
From PEPFAR delivered by Mrs. Adewunmi Bukola
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She started off by sating how great an opportunity this meeting is as it allows for collaboration between various organizations to break gender norms and barriers to enable young people to have access to health in Nigeria. She believes that at the end of the day, we will have tangible action plans that will take us forward. Before she ended, she affirmed PEPHAR’s commitment to this course and sees this meeting as an opportunity where no one is left behind.
From IHVN delivered by Ayeni Christabel
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She reiterated what Mrs. Adewunmi from PEPFAR said earlier and assured us that together, we can break gender norms and ensure lives can be better for young people in Nigeria.
From From SFH Representative
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Brings greetings from the MD and stated that he’s grateful for the partnership with NACA and other organizations. He showed his enthusiasm in partnering with GEF and believes it will help more Nigerians move forward across HIV, TB and malaria issues in the country.
From ASHWAN Representative
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She started by giving a thumbs up to the Director General of NACA for her good work and for putting this together. She mentioned that ASHWAN will always be committed to protecting the rights of women living with HIV and reminded us that we have to put gender in all we do, no one should be marginalized; equality should be given to everyone in terms of health, education and leadership. She cited how women are always left behind, especially in the northern part of the country and went further to say that this is the time to change the narrative and the time for advocacy for these girls and create awareness and an enabling environment for them. She hopes that through this, information can be passed across to women, especially in the rural areas of Nigeria.
From NEPWHAN delivered by Dr. Ofeme
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He appreciated ANAYD for the invite and congratulated NACA for this intervention because this is a different turn from what NACA has been focusing on which is the behavioral and structural aspects. He reaffirmed NEPWHAN’s support and commitment.
From ASHWAN delivered by Mrs. Esther Hindi
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She started by giving a thumbs up to the Director General of NACA for her good work and for putting this together. She mentioned that ASHWAN will always be committed to protecting the rights of women living with HIV and reminded us that we have to put gender in all we do, no one should be marginalized; equality should be given to everyone in terms of health, education and leadership. She cited how women are always left behind, especially in the northern part of the country and went further to say that this is the time to change the narrative and the time for advocacy for these girls and create awareness and an enabling environment for them. She hopes that through this, information can be passed across to women, especially in the rural areas of Nigeria.
From TB Network delivered by Mrs. Olaide
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She recognized and commended all partners for bringing this fund to Nigeria. She is hopeful that as we implement this grant, the barrier that hinders girls from accessing TB, Malaria and AIDS services can be closed.
The Director General (DG) began her address by expressing her delight in seeing young people breaking barriers and making significant strides toward a better future. She extended heartfelt appreciation to all the partners and funders whose support has been instrumental in driving these initiatives forward. The DG highlighted how deeply inspired she is by the impactful work being done by the youth, particularly young girls, who continue to lead and excel in various fields. She emphasized that the Gender Equality Fund (GEF) will be pivotal in closing critical gaps, especially in public health, and will play a key role in empowering women and young girls. According to her, focusing on these groups is essential in addressing pressing health challenges, including reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The DG reaffirmed **NACA's full commitment** to ensuring that the funds are used effectively and responsibly, with the goal of making HIV a non-issue by the year 2030. With these remarks, she officially declared the meeting open, signaling a strong commitment to supporting women, girls, and public health initiatives across the nation.
