Founded in 2002, CHEDRES promotes health equity, social justice, and community empowerment in Nigeria.
By TheInvestigator
The Centre for Healthworks, Development and Research Initiative (CHEDRES) has called on Nigerian policymakers to increase domestic investment in women’s health and rights amid concerns over potential cuts in international aid.
The call was made on International Women’s Day 2025, with CHEDRES urging the Cross River State Government and national leaders to prioritize gender-responsive budgeting and strengthen policies protecting women and girls.
The organization warned that the Trump administration’s reconsideration of USAID’s global funding priorities, including grants supporting women’s health and reproductive rights in Nigeria, could pose serious risks if local solutions are not developed.
“We cannot afford to gamble with the health and rights of Nigerian women and girls. The time for domestic action is now,” said Felix Ukam, Executive Director of CHEDRES.
For over two decades, CHEDRES has partnered with international organizations such as USAID, the SHARE Institute, and the Global Fund to implement programmes on safe motherhood, adolescent reproductive health, HIV prevention, and gender-based violence (GBV) response.
Proposed Actions
CHEDRES outlined specific actions for the government, including convening a High-Level Policy Roundtable on Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Women’s Health, increasing funding for maternal health and family planning, enforcing the Cross River State Adolescent and Young People’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy, and establishing a Women’s Health and Rights Task Force.
The organization also emphasized the economic benefits of investing in women’s health, citing studies showing that every $1 invested in reproductive health yields up to $8 in economic returns.
Founded in 2002, CHEDRES promotes health equity, social justice, and community empowerment in Nigeria.