Nigeria Defeats Eight Other Countries, Re-Elected Into UN Body On Women

Congratulatory messages are pouring in for Nigeria’s Mrs. Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia who has been re-elected to the United Nations, (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, CEDAW, for a second four-year term.

In what described as Nigeria major diplomatic win on the global gender equality stage 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 after defeating eight candidates from other countries.

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

 123 Member States, participated in the exercise, according to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development announcement on Friday.

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

Sulaiman-Ibrahim pointed out that 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.

“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.