Executive Director, Lex Initiative for Rights Advocacy and Development
Today, as the world unites to mark World AIDS Day, we are reminded of the enduring fight against HIV/AIDS and its devastating impacts. In Nigeria, this disease continues to disproportionately affect women, especially those living at the intersections of poverty, marginalisation, and discrimination. As we reflect, we must also act—with urgency, compassion, and accountability—to create a society that is not only free of stigma but one where every woman has access to justice, equality, and dignity.
The Feminine Agenda: Women and HIV/AIDS in Nigeria
By Augusta Yaakugh, Esq.
HIV/AIDS is not just a public health crisis; it is a mirror reflecting the entrenched inequalities faced by women in Nigeria. According to UNAIDS, women constitute the majority of people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, with adolescent girls and young women particularly at risk. For women living with disabilities, female sex workers, women who use drugs, and LBQ women, this burden is even heavier, compounded by systemic exclusion and societal prejudices.
Too often, the response to HIV/AIDS in Nigeria has failed to address the gendered realities of this epidemic. Women living with HIV are not only fighting a virus—they are battling stigma, discrimination, and the absence of legal protections. This is a collective failure. It is imperative that we recognise these injustices and centre women’s experiences in both policy and practice.
A Call for a More Inclusive Feminist Movement
The feminist movement in Nigeria has made commendable strides, yet it remains incomplete. Too often, feminist advocacy is centred around heteronormative and able-bodied frameworks that fail to capture the lived experiences of women at the intersections of health, class, and identity. The exclusion of women living with HIV/AIDS, along with other marginalised groups, weakens the foundation of our collective struggle for equality.
An inclusive feminist movement must go beyond rhetoric to action. It must champion the rights of all women—LBQ women, sex workers, disabled women, and those living with HIV/AIDS—ensuring they are seen, heard, and supported. Feminism in Nigeria must embrace intersectionality as its core principle, recognising that the oppression of one is the oppression of all.
Our Work at Lex Initiative
At Lex Initiative for Rights Advocacy and Development, we are committed to advancing a feminist agenda rooted in inclusion and justice. Our work addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by marginalised women, particularly those living with HIV/AIDS, through practical interventions and advocacy.
1. Empowering Marginalised Women
Our FeminaJustice Project provides free legal clinics, pro bono representation, and socio-economic empowerment for women living with HIV/AIDS and other marginalised identities. These women often face criminalisation for their realities, from engaging in survival sex work to drug use in the face of poverty. Our work gives them access to justice and helps dismantle the barriers that perpetuate their vulnerability.
2. Promoting Feminist Lawyering
We train and equip female lawyers to adopt a feminist approach to their work, ensuring that legal services are gender-responsive and inclusive. By building the capacity of feminist lawyers, we ensure that women living with HIV/AIDS and others at the margins are defended by those who understand and share their struggles.
3. Advocating for Systemic Change
Through evidence-based research and strategic litigation, we challenge discriminatory laws and policies that exacerbate inequalities. Our Legal Baseline Study on LGBTI+ Rights in Nigeria and our advocacy efforts have shed light on the intersectional challenges faced by marginalised women and communities, particularly in accessing healthcare, employment, and social protection.
4. Changing Narratives Through Art and Dialogue
Initiatives like our Art for Advocacy programme use creative expression to amplify the voices of women living with HIV/AIDS and other marginalised groups. By fostering empathy and understanding, we challenge societal attitudes and shift perceptions.
A Call for Accountability
As we observe World AIDS Day, we must hold ourselves accountable. This is not just a day for awareness—it is a call to action. Policymakers must prioritise gender-responsive healthcare systems that ensure women living with HIV/AIDS can access the care and support they need. Civil society must work harder to challenge stigma and discrimination, while the feminist movement must strive to leave no woman behind.
But accountability is not just for institutions—it is for all of us. We must reflect on how our own biases and inaction contribute to the exclusion of marginalised women. Let this day remind us that the fight against HIV/AIDS is not only about ending a virus; it is about ending the inequalities that sustain it.
Towards Justice and Dignity for All Women
At Lex Initiative, we envision a Nigeria where every woman, regardless of her health status or identity, can live a life of dignity, equality, and justice. This vision requires collective effort. Together, we can build a more inclusive feminist movement—one that addresses the intersectionality of HIV/AIDS and creates a future where all women can thrive.
On this World AIDS Day, let us recommit ourselves to this cause. Let us act with compassion, demand accountability, and work towards a world where no woman is left behind.
Augusta Yaakugh, Esq., is the Executive Director of Lex Initiative for Rights Advocacy and Development, an organisation dedicated to advancing the rights and dignity of marginalised women in Nigeria.