Oriontimes News Desk| April 14, 20246 With just 11 days left, anticipation is building across Osun State as the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Osun State Chapter, intensifies preparations for the highly anticipated Youth in Governance Conference 2026. The countdown is no longer gradual, it is accelerating. Stakeholders, young leaders, and aspiring changemakers are being urged to seize the moment as registration remains open but limited. Organizers describe the conference as more than just a gathering. It is a platform where ideas are expected to evolve into tangible action, where emerging voices will be amplified, and where the future of governance in Osun and beyond will be actively shaped. “This is where conversations turn into action, where young leaders step forward, and where the future is not merely discussed but decided,” a statement from the council emphasized. The event is scheduled to hold on April 25, 2026, at 9:00 AM, at the Osogbo Grammar School Conference ...
UN Women remarks at the Security Council: No Peace Without Protecting Women and Girls
Executive Director Sima Bahous highlights that 61 per cent of all maternal deaths occur in just 35 conflict-affected countries.
"Today, I will focus on forms of gender-based violence that are too often overlooked: reproductive violence, explosive armed violence, mental trauma, and targeted attacks on women in public life—threats increasingly enabled by digital technologies."
"61 per cent of all maternal deaths occur in just 35 conflict-affected countries. In the past year, we have seen bombed maternity wards, blockaded medical supplies, and massive funding cuts.
"In Afghanistan, where 90 per cent of women lack access to essential healthcare services, a woman dies from preventable pregnancy-related complications every two hours. One third already deliver without medical assistance. With bans on female workers and shrinking access to care, maternal deaths are projected to rise by 50 per cent by 2026.
"In Gaza, over 28,000 women and girls have been killed since October 2023: an average of one woman and one girl killed every hour. Tens of thousands have given birth under bombardment and siege, without anesthetics, without postpartum care or clean water, and while being malnourished, displaced, and traumatized.
"These are not natural consequences of war. They constitute a pattern of reproductive violence. Today, I urge that we treat reproductive violence as a distinct category of harm and hold perpetrators accountable."
"Violence leaves scars not only on the body, but on the mind. Trauma compounds over time, especially when layered with loss, with displacement, and with constant fear. Mental health is not a luxury—it is life-saving.
"In Gaza, 75 per cent of women suffer from depression. Girls say they wish they were dead.
"In Afghanistan, women speak of living in prisons.
"In Ukraine, domestic violence is rising, and more than half of displaced women report depression."
"Women who speak out—journalists, activists, politicians—face bullets, bombs, threats, and smear campaigns.
"Even when not physically attacked, they are driven out by digital violence: deepfakes, harassment, and disinformation.
"In Ukraine, 81 per cent of women journalists report facing online abuse."
"I come to you with three asks:
"First, the Council must do more to support justice and accountability for women and girls. These atrocities continue in part because they are committed with impunity.
"Second, support women’s organizations on the frontlines. Despite everything, women resist with courage, with leadership, and with care.
"Third, recognize women’s empowerment as a protection strategy. Protection and participation go hand in hand. The most effective shield we can offer women and girls is their own power, their own voice, and their own leadership."
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