Guardian Girls Launches in Nigeria to Promote Women’s Safety

 

By Atlantic Reports

Guardian Girls International (GGI) has inaugurated its Nigerian arm in Abuja, signing a partnership agreement with participating organisations to advance women’s and girls’ safety and empowerment.

The launch on Wednesday brought together representatives of sports bodies, universities, diplomatic institutions and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with calls to turn the agreement into practical support for communities.

GGI Chairman and Secretary-General, Mr Shin Koyamada, said the organisation had expanded to more than 40 countries within four years, with Nigeria becoming its latest African destination.

He said martial arts such as judo, karate and aikido could help girls build confidence, inner strength, respect and personal safety skills.

The event featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) intended to strengthen collaboration among GGI and its Nigerian partners.

Partnerships Beyond the Training Hall

Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Suzuki Hideo, expressed his country’s support, describing the initiative as an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria-Japan cooperation on women’s and girls’ safety.

“Creating a safe environment for girls is not something one group can do alone,” he said.

He stressed that government, communities, schools, sports organisations and individuals all had responsibilities in making that environment possible.

UNFPA’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Muriel Mafico, welcomed the agreement and pledged to mobilise partnerships and networks to support implementation.

Mafico described violence against women and girls as a serious global concern, saying prevention required collective action across physical and digital spaces.

Her remarks placed the initiative within a wider effort to address violence, extending beyond the personal safety skills offered through martial arts.

Local Needs and Practical Support

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, pledged support through academic expertise, research and practical assistance.

He said the university would collaborate with the initiative to advance the protection and empowerment of women and girls.

Guardian Girls Africa President, Amb. Mary Obande, emphasised the need to adapt lessons from across the continent to local realities so that programmes delivered tangible benefits.

Guardian Girls Nigeria President, Amb. Ruqayya Ahmed, said the Nigerian initiative would combine community engagement with institutional collaboration to address gender-based violence and strengthen support for women and girls.

She urged stakeholders to translate the programme’s objectives into practical interventions benefiting communities across Nigeria.

Signatories to the MoU included Koyamada, Nigeria Olympic Committee President Mr Habu Gumel and Pencak Silat President Mr Abdulmumin Yusuf, among other representatives.

The launch established a framework for cooperation. However, details of funding, implementation timelines, training locations, participant selection and measures for assessing results were not provided.

Those details will be central to determining how the partnerships translate into accessible programmes and sustained support for women and girls.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.