Women Leaders Support Advancement (WLSA) has praised the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, for her consistent dedication to advancing women’s empowerment, social inclusion, and humanitarian development both in Nigeria and globally.
The commendation came after a high-level engagement at the United Nations House in New York, where the UN Deputy Secretary-General hosted the Founder of WLSA, Deborah Jan Hornecker, along with members of the organisation and its diaspora leadership.
During the interaction, Amina Mohammed recognised Nigeria’s efforts in supporting women, especially the vulnerable and underserved, while also applauding WLSA’s grassroots-oriented initiatives focused on empowering women at the community level.
She encouraged the organisation to sustain its humanitarian interventions, noting that inclusive social and economic opportunities for women remain critical to national and global development.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General described WLSA’s work as timely and impactful, urging continued advocacy and action to uplift women who desire and deserve improved livelihoods and dignity.
In her response, Deborah Jan Hornecker, on behalf of WLSA and partner organisations including DEFAUYA Women Foundation, Ramat Foundation, and Chayah Hope Foundation, expressed deep appreciation for Amina Mohammed’s moral leadership, motherly guidance, and unwavering support for women-focused initiatives.
She reaffirmed WLSA’s commitment to advancing the welfare of downtrodden Nigerian women, stressing that empowerment at the grassroots remains central to the organisation’s mission.
As part of its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ongoing humanitarian efforts, WLSA also took part in an economic summit held at the Nigerian House in New York.
In a keynote presentation titled “Women at the Center of Global Progress: Leadership, Inclusion, and Collective Responsibility,” Deborah Jan Hornecker underscored the urgent need for global support systems for vulnerable women.
She described WLSA as a purpose-driven movement bridging advocacy and opportunity from grassroots women entrepreneurs to Nigerian women excelling in global institutions, ensuring that women at all levels are recognised, supported, and strengthened.
According to her, empowering women and youths is fundamental to stabilising societies and strengthening economies, adding that real-life humanitarian encounters, including widows supporting large families, abandoned patients, and unsupported new mothers continue to drive WLSA’s compassionate interventions.
She further called on Nigerian women in the diaspora to actively community development at home, while urging leaders at all levels to embrace servant leadership anchored in humanity and compassion.
Deborah Jan Hornecker concluded by emphasising that women are not peripheral to progress but central to it, noting that resilient, inclusive, and prosperous nations are built when women lead and are adequately supported.
