Nigeria wins again: Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia re-elected to UN Women’s Rights Committee for second term

● Nigeria defeats eight countries as 2026 declared “Year of Families” boosts gender diplomacy

Nigeria has secured another major diplomatic win on the global gender equality stage after Mrs. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia was re-elected to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, CEDAW, for a second four-year term.

The election was held at the UN Headquarters in New York on June 26, 2026.

Nigeria triumphed over candidates from eight other countries in a contest involving 123 Member States, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development announced on Friday.

Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, FSI, described the victory as “a significant diplomatic milestone” that reaffirms international confidence in Nigeria’s leadership on women’s rights.

—From global promise to state-level action—

Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the re-election builds on momentum from the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, CSW69.

At that session, Nigeria convened a High-Level Event that led to eight sub-national governments — Edo, FCT, Kwara, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun and Zamfara — signing commitments to domesticate and implement CEDAW. More states have indicated readiness to join.

“The significance of this landmark commitment is that it brings CEDAW closer to the people,” the Minister stated.

“State Governments are translating international obligations into practical actions through stronger protection for women and girls, expanded access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities, and greater accountability in governance,” she declared.

CEDAW is the UN body that monitors how countries implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Nigeria’s continued seat, the Ministry said, ensures the country helps shape global standards while amplifying Africa’s voice in human rights discussions.

–“Whole-of-government” push behind the win—

The Ministry credited the outcome to months of coordinated lobbying, bilateral and multilateral engagements, and technical preparation led by the Ministry of Women Affairs in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

Special commendation went to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Senator Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, for “diligent lobbying, negotiations, and sustained engagement.”

Sulaiman-Ibrahim linked the success to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which has placed women, children, families and vulnerable groups at the centre of national development. The administration has declared 2026 the ‘Year of Families and Social Development’ to strengthen families, promote inclusion, and advance gender-responsive governance.

The Minister also acknowledged First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI, for its nationwide empowerment of women across nano to medium-scale enterprises.

—What happens next–

Congratulating Eghobamien-Mshelia, the Minister said she “carries the hopes and aspirations of millions of Nigerian women and girls” into her second term.

The Federal Government pledged to convert the international recognition into domestic results through legal reforms, policy coherence, economic empowerment for women, stronger protection systems, and sustained advocacy.

“This victory belongs to every Nigerian,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim said. “It demonstrates what can be achieved when visionary leadership, strategic diplomacy, technical excellence, and national unity are brought together. Our objective remains clear: to ensure that equality is not only celebrated in international fora but is fully reflected in the lived realities of every Nigerian woman and girl.”