Who We Are Arewa Women Commission is a nonprofit organization initiated in the United States to Strengthen the Role of Women in Northern Nigeria. Women in the Northern region of Nigeria continue to be the most vulnerable population that are disproportionately poorer and least educated and the community persistently suffer high rates of infant and maternal mortality. In fact, the issue of health disparities has become an important civil rights issue for Northern women in the 21st century. AWC is needed to link the important roles of the international bodies in helping develop, deliver, and evaluate culturally and socially competent programs and services to address the growing needs of women in Northern Nigeria. (In Photo: Arewa Women Commission Delegates with [in pink veil] Vice President’s wife; Hajia Amina Namadi Sambo in Washington DC). AWC provides support to Northern Nigerian women both in the Diaspora and within Nigeria through conferences, programs/projects, seminars, and workshops. AWC's mission is to foster partnerships to eliminate all forms of disparities. To support mechanism that works to strengthen the capacity of communities and the role of women across Northern Nigeria. Our Programs Proposed Programs Women Health Maternal and Infant Mortality Rate HIV AIDS/ STD Post and prenatal care Stillbirth Pregnant Women in Workplace   Bi-Monthly Newsletter & Publication (Magazine) •         Spotlight on Available Health Programs •         Translate Global health Issues in Northern local languages •         Program outreach using Foot soldiers •     Mothers and Poverty Agenda for Action •     Status of Women in Northern Nigeria •     Domestic Workers, Employment Guide   Quarterly Forum on Women Issues (Forum) -Policy, Program and Legislative Advocacy -Violence Against Women & Girls   Bi-Monthly Stakeholder Meeting -Women's Legislative Briefing -Mothers and Poverty Alleviation Policy Agenda -Status of Women in Northern Politics   On Air Radio on Women Affairs (Talk Radio) -Eliminating All Forms of Discrimination -Women Health Issues -Eliminating Violence against Women - Right of   Workplace  -Economic Empowerment   Counseling & Career Center Helping Adults with Work, Family & Life Transitions   AWC Meeting Agendas & Minutes Bi-Monthly   Political Advocacy Forum Women's Legislative Briefing AWC:  Mothers and Poverty Policy Agenda Women in Leadership Conference Women Safety Sexual Harassment in the School and Workplace, Employment and Rights of Workplace   Workshops & Support Groups personal growth, finances, separation & divorce Separation, Divorce and Loss of Loved Ones   Professional Training Business and career, Continuing education training for licensed counselors and social workers Counseling Children and Adolescent drug abuse Divorce, Loss of Loved Ones and career counseling Paternity and Inheritance Issues   Sign up for AWC egroup/ eNews! Receive information about upcoming workshops, professional training, and Grant & Scholarship Announcements, Upcoming events AWC Model Some of the mechanisms we shall consider in Strengthening the Role of Women in Northern Nigeria  Economy: Poverty and illiteracy are still features of the majority of women, and as such constitute significant stumbling blocks in the attempt to spread awareness and the necessary opportunities for social and political development and on the issue of healthy life style; Culture: Many mindsets in the north remain fixed on certain unchanging notions of a “woman’s place”, and many of the existing political institutions reflect a male-dominated and male-oriented culture as well; Freedom of Association: Laws governing this feature, as well as related organizational concerns within the non-governmental sector, and the necessary networking skills among NGOs and politicians, still constitute stumbling blocks for developments; Political Parties: The role played by political Party remains in need of re- evaluation and revamping by the parties themselves. In many instances, some of these political parties perpetuate (and mirror) the same technical and operative difficulties faced by large regimes and bureaucracies. The support of political parties for their women members needs to be systematically strengthened and encouraged. (In Photo: Arewa Women Commission Delegates at Emir of Kano's palace). The mechanisms which enhance women’s legislative presence, looking specifically at aspects such as the need for a ‘critical mass’ in various political institutions generally and in government establishment particularly the arguments for and against quotas (reserved seats). These mechanisms revolve around ‘the Rules strategy’ and its three main pillars: learning the rules, using the rules, and changing the rules. The idea being that a number of rules – written and unwritten – govern a great deal of the interaction within and outside the government. The role international organizations can play – particularly the UN - to promote women’s political participation. A number of suggestions are made relating to the need to: - assist in enhancing democratization endeavors; - facilitate access to knowledge/information and technology; - encourage concerted efforts to collect more gender-segregated data; - provide training and know-how, promote further necessary research, and last but not least, linking economic and political co-operation with specific remuneration schemes for men and women. (In photo: Arewa Women Commission delegates at a briefing) advocates and promotes women's political empowerment from the national to the most local levels working to increase the number of women in public office Enhance women’s leadership by helping to reform electoral processes, change political parties, and strengthen parliaments, judiciaries and the civil service Strengthen women’s organizations ability to advocate and implement projects that promote women’s rights Promote judicial reform to ensure equal legal protection to poor women Ensure that essential public services like health and education benefit poor women, men, girls and boys equitably Promote the ratification, implementation, and reporting on women’s  international and regional women’s instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, (CEDAW) Reduce gender-based violence