On Wednesday 4th of September, 2024, Her Royal Majesty, Olori Atuwatse III had the honour of sitting on the high-level session panel alongside distinguished leaders; HRH Dr. Haliru Ndanusa, CFR (Emir of Shonga), HRH Dr. Jacob A. Haastrup (Olumobi of Imobi Ijesa), Fr. Atta Barkindo, PhD, Sheikh M. Nurudeen Lemu (Director, Development Initiative of West Africa),  at the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2024 (GS-24) themed “Reimagining Gender-Inclusive Pathways and Partnerships for Poverty Reduction,” hosted by Policy Innovation Centre (PIC)’.

During her panel focused on the Role of Religious and Traditional Leaders in Gender Based Violence Interventions, Her Majesty highlighted the devastating impact of GBV on society and the economy. Sharing the prevailing statistics in Nigeria, with nearly one in three women facing physical violence and a mere 0.9% of sexual assault perpetrators brought to trial, and her encounter with survivors through her work at the Royal Iwere Foundation who demonstrate remarkable resilience despite violence and economic limitations, Her Majesty emphasised the importance of traditional leaders in creating safe spaces and being a source of support for their communities.

In the words of Her Majesty, “Traditional and Religious Leaders can play a critical role in addressing harmful gender norms leveraging enablers such as a supportive legislative framework as policy advocates to build inclusive transformative societies”.