WAVE Foundation Africa

Dear Woman, The video says it all🌹 Happy New Week #linkedin #monday #wavefoundationafrica

Our representatives Lucy Imaji , Amina O Abba, GMNSE at the Public Hearing on the Proposed Tax Reform Bill held at the National Assembly of Nigeria (NASS) led by Senate Committee on Finance which was held on Tuesday 25th February 2025. Tax reforms are essential for economic growth, but they must be inclusive and gender-responsive. Our presentation highlighted how tax increases could disproportionately impact women and girls, particularly those in the informal sector. In the video below, we also shared six key recommendations to ensure fairer policies. We appreciate the opportunity given to us by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Distinguished Senator Mohammad Sani Musa to contribute our thoughts to the Proposed reform of the tax bill. An equitable tax system is not just an economic necessity, it’s a step toward gender equality. #TaxReform #GenderEquality #WomenEmpowerment #WAVEFoundation #PolicyChange #Nigeria

6 Key Gender-Responsive Tax Reform Recommendations proposed by WAVE Foundation Africa 1. Zero VAT on Essentials: Sanitary products, maternal healthcare, and childcare items. 2. Support Women-Owned SMEs: Tax incentives, simplified compliance, and capacity-building. 3. Progressive Income Tax: Protect low-income earners and adopt individual taxation. 4. Recognize Unpaid Care Work: Tax credits for childcare and investments in care infrastructure. 5. Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Allocate tax revenues to healthcare, education, and GBV programs. 6. Women’s Inclusion: Ensure women's voices in tax policy formulation. #TaxReform #GenderEquality #NigeriaTaxReform #WomensEconomicEmpowerment

Since I returned to the country on January 31st, it’s been nonstop work, but I am happy to do it...Thankfully I have a very solid team who make it easy by pulling their weight, rolling up their sleeves and working hard WAVE Foundation Africa is what it is because of people like Lucy Imaji Amina O Abba, GMNSE Daniel Ihejiriaka Khadijat Shuahib Emmanuel Eze Paulyn Ugbodaga FITD, MNGE, MNIIA, MNIM, (ANIPR) and so many others !!! #nonprofit #wavefdnafrica

The recent decision by the U.S. president to ban Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in federal agencies and institutions marks a significant shift in policies aimed at addressing systemic disparities. While the rationale behind such bans often centers on claims of promoting "meritocracy" or eliminating "preferential treatment," the real-world impact disproportionately affects marginalized communities, particularly women of color and individuals with intersecting identities. DEI programs have historically played a crucial role in increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups by addressing institutional barriers. For women of color, who face both racial and gender-based discrimination, DEI initiatives have provided pathways to career advancement, leadership roles, and equitable workplace policies such as parental leave and pay equity. Without these programs, existing disparities in hiring, promotion, and wages are likely to widen. Please read this post by Gayathri G. for a deeper understanding of how lack of intersectionality affects women of color https://lnkd.in/gDxVJE6n #DEI #DEIBan #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #Intersectionality #WomenofColor #WageGap #Discrimination #PayInequity #WomenOfColor #MargnilaizedWomen #Disability #LGBTQ #Idnetity #Women #GenderEquality #Feminism #RightsofEquality

✨ Exciting News! Today marks a victorious moment for #women and girls across Africa! 🌍✨ The 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government has officially adopted the #AUEVAWGConvention, the first-ever comprehensive continental instrument dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls (#VAWG) in Africa. This is a game-changer in the fight for gender justice and a step closer to a safer, more equitable future for all! 💜💪🏾 #GenderEquality #EndVAWG #AUEVAWGConvention

Following the press conference, advocates, survivors, and activists with the organisation's president Lola Ibrahim (MNIA, Int'l Assoc. AIA) leading the advocacy walk to the National Assembly of Nigeria (NASS) . Upon arrival, we were received by Honourable Kafilat Ogbara Chair of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social, and a Charter of Demands handed over to her. The National Technical Committee on the Elimination of FGM in Nigeria submitted a Charter of Demands to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The charter was jointly signed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation , and WAVE Foundation Africa , representing #civil society organizations. This year’s event reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to ending FGM, bringing together community and religious leaders, policymakers, and civil society organizations to advocate for stronger legislation and increased awareness. As the first to initiate the annual FGM awareness walk through her organization in 2021, Lola Ibrahim (MNIA, Int'l Assoc. AIA) has continuously championed grassroots mobilization, policy advocacy, and survivor rehabilitation. #endfgm #endfgm2030 #stopthecut #linkedinweekend

The International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM with Advocacy Walk to National Assembly On February 6, 2025, The National Assembly of Nigeria (NASS) in collaboration with WAVE Foundation Africa and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation and other key stakeholders commemorated the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The event featured a joint ministerial press briefing where Lola Ibrahim (MNIA, Int'l Assoc. AIA) president of WAVE Foundation Africa and a survivor-turned-advocate, delivered a speech emphasizing the urgency of eliminating FGM as it is a human rights violation. #zerotoleranceforfgm #EndFGM #WaveFoundationAfrica #WomenEmpowerment #endFGM2030 #linkedin #stopthecut

🔹 "𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯... 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘵, 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯." 🔹 These powerful words from Hafsat Abdulllahi _Havfy’s poem resonated deeply during the global virtual event commemorating the International Day of Zero Tolerance for #FGM on February 6. Her raw, unfiltered truth brought emotions to the surface, leaving many in tears. This is the second time Hafsat has contributed her voice to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of #FGM, following her impactful intervention in last year’s annual consultation. Through poetry, she amplifies the silent suffering of millions and the urgent call for #change. 📢 Let’s not just listen—let’s act. Ending Female Genital Mutilation requires unwavering #commitment, strengthened #alliances, and radical #action. 🎥 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗛𝗮𝗳𝘀𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗺 💬 What part of her words moved you the most? Let’s keep this conversation going. #Unite2EndFGM #EndFGM #ZeroTolerance #ActNow #HumanRights United Nations World Health Organization UNFPA Arab States UNFPA East and Southern Africa UNFPA Eastern Europe and Central Asia African Union Youth Anti-FGM Network Kenya End FGM EU End FGM E-Campus UNDP

We Are Destroying Young Girls for Profit & Calling It Empowerment. By the time a girl turns 16, she has already seen 200,000+ images telling her what beauty is. She has been bombarded with impossible standards, sexualized before puberty, and conditioned to believe she is never enough without products, procedures, and perfection. This is not empowerment, it’s a business model. A manufactured mental health crisis. The mental health crisis among young girls is exploding. 52% of 11–16-year-olds in the UK say they constantly worry about how they look. Social media has turned this anxiety into a 24/7 psychological warzone. Eating disorders are rising. Anxiety and depression are rampant. Self-harm and suicide rates are increasing. Meanwhile, the beauty industry rakes in £500 billion a year (set to double to £1 trillion). Women control up to 80% of consumer spending, driving demand for fashion, cosmetics, diet products, and cosmetic surgery. This isn’t accidental, it’s engineered insecurity. They had to make women feel flawed- so they did. Guy’s like Edward Bernays, the father of public relations, who manipulated women with Freudian psychology to sell cigarettes by tying them to “freedom” during the suffragettes movement. After World War II, corporations deliberately shifted society from a needs-based to a wants-based culture. Marketing departments realized that insecurity and fear sells. Make women believe they are flawed. Make them compare themselves to an impossible ideal. Make them desperate for solutions. Then, sell them self-worth in a bottle. You were taught to hate your own body. The disgust toward women’s body hair? Manufactured. For centuries, it wasn’t an issue -until razor companies needed a new market. Now, shaving, waxing, and lasering are billion-dollar industries. Even body positivity has been hijacked by consumerism. We went from rejecting harmful beauty standards to glorifying obesity. Why? Because it’s profitable. The cost of this manipulation? Our daughters’ mental health. We are manufacturing insecurity at scale. We are destroying young minds for money and calling it “empowerment.” If we want true feminine energy to thrive, we must stop selling women fear disguised as self-care. As a married man with a teenage daughter, I can see that I’m maybe swimming against a strong tide here. But we must ask questions and try to do better.