Odita Sunday 
By Our Reporter
Women of Worth (WOW) Africa has called for greater investment in women’s health and wellbeing, describing it as a critical driver of sustainable development and societal progress.
The call was made at the 2026 WOW Conversation, themed “Healthy Women, Sustainable Society,” where stakeholders from diverse sectors highlighted the need to address systemic challenges affecting women across Nigeria and Africa.
Speaking through the Secretary of WOW Africa, Mrs. Ngozi Chukwujekwu, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Chief (Mrs.) Carol Ugochukwu, stressed that no society can achieve sustainable development while women continue to face significant health and social challenges.
“The truth is simple: a society cannot thrive while its women are struggling to survive,” she stated.
Ugochukwu, a veteran advocate for women’s rights and one of Nigeria’s delegates to the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, urged policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise women’s wellbeing and address structural barriers that undermine their health and productivity.
She noted that many women continue to bear overwhelming caregiving responsibilities, often without adequate support, while also facing limited access to quality healthcare services.
Delivering a message titled “The Future,” the Executive Director of WOW Africa, Attorney Amaka Akudinobi, represented by the organisation’s Media Director, Dr. Ify Aronu, emphasised the need to create a better future for African women and girls through collective support, knowledge sharing and the elimination of harmful cultural practices.
Addressing the conference theme, former Commissioner for Health and renowned gynaecologist, Dr. Joe Akabuike, highlighted health challenges confronting Nigerian women and called for greater health consciousness and regular medical check-ups.
He observed that improved health practices could contribute significantly to increasing the life expectancy of Nigerian women.
Also speaking, the Director of the Centre for Gender Studies, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Prof. Njideka Ebisi, identified reproductive health issues, communicable diseases and gender-based violence as major contributors to maternal mortality.
She encouraged women to prioritise their physical and emotional wellbeing as part of efforts to improve health outcomes.
Other presentations focused on the impact of cultural norms on women’s health and the growing importance of mental health awareness.
The Head of Service of Anambra State, Barr. Ngozi Anuli Iwouno, in a goodwill message, condemned social practices that hinder women’s advancement and described women as critical pillars of society and family development.
Highlights of the event included the presentation of business grants to four members of the WOW community, distribution of food crop seedlings to participants, entertainment performances, and a tribute to a late member of the organisation, Dame Tessy Udemezue-Okoye.
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