By: Success Benjamin
The Reclaim Her Initiative has organized a mental health, wellness and sensitization workshop for women in Abuja as part of activities marking International Women’s Day on February 27.
The event, convened by Dr. Chito Umenyi Uwana, CEO of Arabella Women’s Health and Wellness Center and Founder of the Francis and Felicia Umenyi Foundation, provided a safe space for healing and renewal. She said the initiative was designed to help women reclaim their identity and integrity, stressing that when women thrive, society thrives.
Dr. Brenda Anugwom, CEO of the Nigeria Women Trust Fund, highlighted the link between mental health and women’s productivity, dignity and wellbeing. She warned that body shaming, stigma and societal pressure continue to undermine women’s mental health, noting that emotional healing takes time.
In her remarks, Dr. Dayo Benjamin-Laniyi, Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs, FCTA, described strength as the courage to stand firm through life’s challenges. She emphasized that mental health is a societal issue requiring collective responsibility and referenced the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a platform for expanding wellness programmes to communities nationwide.
The workshop ended with a call for sustained advocacy and action, as participants reaffirmed that mental wellness remains central to women’s empowerment and national development.
