By Toyin Victor, ABUJA
The SIL Foundation has called for stronger action to address gender inequality and expand women’s access to leadership opportunities, just as experts at a stakeholder dialogue in Abuja highlighted barriers limiting women’s advancement in healthcare, education and other professional fields.
The dialogue, organised by SIL Foundation, was held at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
In her welcome address, the foundation’s Executive Director, Mrs Ubile Charity Lawson, reaffirmed commitment to supporting underserved communities, particularly women and widows, through healthcare assistance, empowerment initiatives and educational scholarships.
Delivering the keynote address titled “Empowering Women in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Global Perspective,” President of the Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom, Professor Mumtaz Patel, highlighted the gap between women’s significant presence in healthcare and their representation in senior leadership positions.
Patel said women account for about 70 per cent of the healthcare workforce but remain underrepresented in leadership, citing figures of approximately 25 per cent in high-income countries and five per cent in low- and middle-income countries.
Patel also cited Nigeria’s reported ranking of 144th out of 146 countries on a gender-equity index, identifying discrimination, cultural expectations, caregiving responsibilities and limited professional support as barriers to women’s advancement. She called for stronger mentorship programmes, flexible working arrangements, leadership training and institutional reforms to improve women’s access to decision-making positions.
On her part, Country Director of Girl Effect Nigeria, Mrs Boladale Akin-Kolapo, raised concerns about the sustainability of development programmes following the closure of the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. She urged stakeholders to strengthen domestic funding and reduce dependence on international aid, particularly for initiatives focused on girls’ education, adolescent health, economic empowerment and ending child marriage.
A representative of the FCT Secondary Education Board commended SIL Foundation for its educational support to public school students.
The representative said 92 students across senior secondary schools received school supplies and scholarships for the 2025/2026 academic session, while 120 students in 12 government senior secondary schools received support for the 2026/2027 session. The board also highlighted efforts to raise awareness of drug abuse among students.
The dialogue also featured Women in Public Health Leadership Africa, WiPHLA, which said its network comprises more than 600 women across 29 countries, and Well Life Foundation, which expressed readiness to collaborate with organisations working to improve healthcare access for vulnerable communities.
In his vote of thanks, SIL Foundation Co-Founder, Mr Stanley Lawson, urged non-governmental organisations and civil society groups to pool resources and strengthen collaboration, noting that limited funding and the growing needs of widows, struggling families and children make collective action essential.