Sterling One Foundation Calls for Urgent Action on Maternal Health and Women’s Economic Inclusion on International Women’s Day
Sterling One Foundation Calls for Urgent Action on Maternal Health and Women’s Economic Inclusion on International Women’s Day
Lagos, Nigeria – Sterling One Foundation is marking this year’s International Women’s Day with a call for urgent action to improve maternal health and economic inclusion for women across Nigeria and Africa. While progress has been made, too many women still face life-threatening barriers in childbirth and economic exclusion that limits their independence and growth.
Africa continues to bear a disproportionate burden of maternal mortality. Despite a global decline, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for nearly 70% of all maternal deaths, with Nigeria ranking among the highest contributors. Complex factors including limited access to quality healthcare, poor health infrastructure, and socioeconomic challenges make it difficult to sustain progress.
Through the Mamabase program, launched in partnership with the Maternal and Reproductive Health Research Collective, Sterling One Foundation is tackling these challenges directly. The initiative provides critical healthcare services, antenatal care, and education to expectant mothers who would have otherwise been at risk.
In 2024 alone, 7,367 safe births were recorded under the Mamabase program. This milestone underscores the impact of targeted maternal health interventions and the urgent need for greater investment in healthcare systems that support women through pregnancy and childbirth.
Economic empowerment remains just as critical. In 2024 alone, 1,200 women took bold steps towards financial independence through Sterling One Foundation’s targeted training programs. These efforts were made possible through partnerships with organizations including the Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO), Women in Digital Business, UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office Nigeria, and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).
These initiatives equipped women with practical skills, resources, and business tools to build sustainable livelihoods. They ensure that women are not left behind in the country’s economic landscape, giving them the ability to support themselves and their families.
Gender-based violence remains a pressing concern, and Sterling One Foundation has remained active in advocacy and intervention. The CHATROOM campaign, which used storytelling and interactive sessions to engage communities, reached 900 participants across Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, and Gombe states, creating awareness and driving conversations that push for action against gender-based violence.
Commenting on the urgency of addressing maternal health and gender-based violence, Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, emphasized that the barriers women face are not disconnected issues, but part of a larger crisis of inequality.
“Too many Nigerian women are forced to choose between survival and opportunity. They face life-threatening risks in childbirth because healthcare remains out of reach, and they live in fear because justice is too often denied. We cannot continue to treat these issues in isolation. Access to safe delivery, economic inclusion, and protection from violence must all go hand in hand. Through Mamabase, economic empowerment programs, and our CHATROOM campaign, we are ensuring that women do not just survive, but thrive.”
The time for action is now. Sterling One Foundation is calling on critical stakeholders across the private sector, public sector and third sector to move beyond advocacy and commit to investments that will significantly improve maternal health, economic empowerment, and the protection of women across Nigeria and Africa.
About Sterling One Foundation
Sterling One Foundation (SOF) is a registered non-profit focused on tackling the root causes of poverty in Nigeria, and Africa through interventions and social impact programs across five critical sectors namely: climate action, health, education and youth development, gender equality and empowerment, and food security. The Foundation’s programmes adopt a central theme of prioritizing partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For more information visit onefoundation.ng