WAPA Convenes 2025 Women's Assembly to Deepen Engagement

​The Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) successfully convened the Year 2025 Women Assembly at the LTV Blue Roof, bringing together a diverse and influential cohort of female political leaders, community shapers, and grassroots women. The Assembly served as a dynamic policy-shaping platform, facilitating direct dialogue, mutual reflection, and essential experience-sharing on the needs, challenges, and aspirations of the State’s female populace.

This annual gathering is consistently highlighted as one of the State’s most inclusive engagement forums, specifically created to provide women at the grassroots level with a direct channel to voice their concerns. This mechanism is critical for ensuring that their realities and priorities directly influence the formulation of government policy and the design of programs aimed at their empowerment and overall well-being.

​The event received a significant show of support from the State’s leadership, with a goodwill message from the First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs. Victoria Olowu. Dr. Sanwo-Olu lauded WAPA for sustaining the crucial initiative, describing the Assembly as “more than a gathering” it is a “collective force of resilient and visionary women shaping the future of our state.”

​In her keynote remarks, Honourable Commissioner Bolaji Cecilia Dada underscored the Ministry's unwavering commitment to engaging women across all localities, emphasizing their role as “vital partners in community development and governance.” She affirmed that the Assembly guarantees that the contributions of women, irrespective of tribe or religion, are "heard and considered in planning," thereby strengthening the implementation of Mr. Governor’s THEMES Plus agenda.

Beyond the robust interactive sessions focused on empowerment and protection initiatives, the Assembly delivered a holistic support package, including free medical checks and health screenings for participants, covering essential services like blood pressure and eye tests. Furthermore, facilitators from the Lagos State Safety Commission and the Fire Service provided practical life safety tips, demonstrating the Ministry's comprehensive dedication to the health, welfare, and safety of women, as articulated in the vote of thanks by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Rianat Ajibike Onigbanjo.