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Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu: Ending a very busy International Women’s month

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu/LinkedIn

Apr 4, 2025, 08:14

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu: Ending a very busy International Women’s month

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, UICC President elect 2024-2026, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Ending a very busy International Women’s month, I attended the Celebrating Womanhood Art Gala 2025 by Nigeria Health Watch The gala is a powerful fusion of creativity with women’s health. Themed ‘Her Strength In Every Story’ this event reminds of us how art can amplify messages and drive change.

Maternal health is the driver of thriving societies and indeed the focus for this years’s World Health Day—Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful futures. In my country Nigeria, 1 in 7 women risk dying during delivery. This has triggered government and other stakeholders to address the issue through various initiatives like SWAP(Sector Wide Approach), PVAC(presidential initiative for unlocking the healthcare value chain), and the recently launched Global Activators Network for Maternal Health.

In my message at the occasion, I commended Nigeria Health Watch and MSD for organizing and sustaining this transformative experience, which I always strive to attend.

I stated the inspiration I derive from seeing our young African creatives, using their talent to break the silence and demand policy action. Amongst this years work were Aisha Adamu Augie, Dr. Ngozi Akande and Maryam Maigida.

Also a powerful panel session on Canvas Conversations: Through Brushstrokes enhancing Women’s Voices in Maternal Health, featuring Dr. Adanna Steinacker, Dr. Iniofo Iyang, Polly Alakija, Olasunbo Makinde, and moderated by Onyedikachi Victoria Ewe.

After the speeches, artwork and fashion, one message stayed with me: We don’t just tell stories – we rewrite endings. Let’s turn these artworks into: More living mothers, More healthy babies and More equitable systems.

Congratulations once again Vivianne Ihekweazu.“