Afrigather Omoayena Rosemary Odunbaku is a dynamic chief with a confirmed observe report in fostering sustainable growth and schooling. Her visionary management and intensive expertise make her a driving drive behind the development of growth in Africa. Previous to her present function, Odunbaku held pivotal positions on the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Because the Appearing Head of the Governance Unit and Programme Supervisor for the Africa City Agenda programme (AUA), she advocated for decentralized growth insurance policies that supplied monetary and funding options, significantly benefiting underprivileged residents. On this interview with IFEOMA OKEKE-KORIEOCHA, she speaks on classes Nigeria can draw from developed nations on how you can obtain sustainable city environments in addition to how she used her earlier and present place to advance schooling and growth in Africa and Nigeria particularly, amongst different points.
You have got held pivotal positions on the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). May you’re taking us by way of your expertise and journey on the (UN-Habitat)?
My work on the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has been each fulfilling and instrumental. Having served as a Human Settlements Officer since June 2014, initially inside the Companions and Inter-Company Coordination Department and presently within the Regional Workplace for Africa, UN-Habitat, I’ve actively contributed to the group’s mandate and achievement of worldwide growth objectives. I’ve constantly performed a task in enhancing connections and knowledge change between UN-Habitat and native companions in Anglophone West Africa. My duties contain facilitating authorities and stakeholder platforms, spearheading the event of nationwide campaigns, and main the formulation and execution of Habitat Nation Program Paperwork (HCPD) in collaboration with Nationwide Committees and UN entities current within the nations.
Throughout my interval within the Companions and Inter-Company Coordination Department, I backstopped the implementation of the Africa City Agenda program, providing operational assist to initiatives within the Africa area. Notable achievements embody mobilizing funds and high-level political buy-in to bolster the Africa City Agenda Programme; thus facilitating monetary help to twenty Sub-Saharan African nations, and overseeing the evaluate technique of 24 Nationwide Habitat III experiences.
I’ve been actively concerned in shaping conceptual fashions for urbanization in Africa, drafting key messages on urbanization for African Presidents, and coordinating high-level conferences throughout conferences in Addis Ababa and New York. My dedication to gender mainstreaming is obvious in guaranteeing the implementation of pointers in any respect ranges. My profession goal has persistently revolved across the pursuit of excellence and contributing to organizational objectives. This dedication is mirrored in my accomplishments, starting from the publication of experiences to the group of conferences and the institution of the Regional Nationwide City Coverage Alternate Platform.
In abstract, my expertise at UN-Habitat underscores my dedication to advancing sustainable city growth, fostering partnerships and making substantial contributions to the Africa City Agenda.
How did you utilize your earlier and present place to advance schooling and growth in Africa and Nigeria particularly?
I’ve overseen and backstopped initiatives and initiatives undertaken which have various over time. UN-Habitat usually engages in city planning and design initiatives that purpose to create sustainable and inclusive city environments. This will embody planning academic establishments, guaranteeing entry to colleges, and creating areas that facilitate studying.
Capability-building packages additionally strengthen the talents and information of native communities, authorities officers, and professionals concerned in city growth. This will contribute to improved planning, administration, and growth practices, together with within the schooling sector. My involvement in initiatives that target group growth, together with initiatives that empower native communities to take cost of their growth. This empowerment usually includes schooling and skill-building packages to boost the capabilities of group members.
I’ve supported and overseen the institution of recent and nurturing of previous collaborations and partnerships with governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and different stakeholders. These collaborations might embody education-focused initiatives aimed toward enhancing entry to high quality schooling in city areas.
My analysis work and publications which entailed intensive assortment of information on numerous points of human settlements advisable related options that inform insurance policies and packages, together with these associated to schooling and growth. I’ve constantly advocated for the implementation of such insurance policies which embody elevated funding in schooling infrastructure, improved entry to schooling, and the mixing of schooling into broader growth methods.
How do you advocate for insurance policies that present monetary and funding options, significantly benefiting underprivileged residents?
I’ve a robust educational background, so my first step is all the time to achieve a deep understanding of the problems. Knowledge is life- so I undertake analysis statistics, case research, and professional opinions to strengthen the information base. This will even embody database of related actors and stakeholders.
Establishing platforms to change concepts like professional group conferences, colloquium and so on helps construct and foster present networks that help good communication. It additionally offers me with beneficial insights, assist, and identification of essential and potential actors.
After this stage which I usually discuss with because the preliminary stage of interventions, I work with my crew to develop a persuasive narrative that communicates the urgency and significance of the insurance policies we’re advocating for; utilizing compelling real-life tales and examples to make the case relatable and impactful.
We then conduct consciousness campaigns to sensitize all key stakeholders, together with authorities officers, policymakers, monetary establishments, and group leaders. Notably to amplify the message, affect decision-makers and obtain citizen buy-in. Relying on the info from the preliminary stage, numerous channels, corresponding to social media, workshops, and group occasions are sometimes adopted to disseminate data.
Do not forget that efficient advocacy is a steady course of, and constructing assist for coverage adjustments takes time. By combining well-researched arguments, strategic networking, and compelling storytelling, I’ve constantly contributed to a number of optimistic coverage outcomes that profit underprivileged residents.
What are a number of the success tales you’ve gotten recorded as regards utilizing your place to advance growth in Nigeria? Kindly point out a few of them.
We supported the Nigerian authorities to evaluate the Nationwide City Growth Plan and presently working with the Abia and Ekiti State governments to plan chosen cities of their state. Backstopped useful resource mobilization for chosen growth interventions in Nasarawa, Abia, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun State as we constantly advocate for spatial planning as a driver of deliberate growth. Elevating the profile of city growth amongst high-level authorities officers. Now we have seen an incredible optimistic buy-in over the past decade.
You maintain a Physician of Philosophy in City and Regional Planning from the College of Lagos, Nigeria. This isn’t a typical course folks research. What propelled you to review this?
Destiny performed a task in my educational journey. Initially, I used to be aspiring to review civil engineering, however the complexities of the admission course of in Nigeria led me to enrol in City Planning on the esteemed College of Lagos. Since then, it has been an interesting trajectory. I’d later meet mentors like Professors Iyiola Oni and Taibat Lawanson who additional helped encourage me to pursue larger levels within the subject of research.
I earned a PhD in City and Regional Planning and I’m presently pursuing research to turn into an economist on the prestigious London Faculty of Economics. This choice stemmed from recognizing a major hole between the 2 disciplines. Though I grew up in Lagos, frequent visits to areas like Makoko, have been motivated by my curiosity in harnessing city dividends—capturing the vitality of the folks, using sources, and leveraging agglomeration. I maintain an optimistic perception that African governments can set up practical human settlements tailor-made to the distinctive traits of their residents.
You’re dedicated to creating cleaner and extra sustainable city environments, significantly in deprived communities. What do you assume are the main challenges in Nigeria which have saved it from reaching cleaner and extra sustainable city environments?
Addressing the challenges of making cleaner and sustainable city environments in Nigeria is a posh process. A number of elements contribute to this, together with:
Inhabitants Development: Fast urbanization and inhabitants progress place immense stress on present infrastructure and companies, making it difficult to implement sustainable practices. That is significantly evident in deprived communities the place fundamental facilities could also be missing.
Coverage Implementation: Challenges in implementing and imposing environmental insurance policies contribute to the persistence of unsustainable practices. Strengthening governance constructions and guaranteeing efficient coverage implementation is essential.
Socioeconomic Disparities: Disparities in revenue and entry to sources lead to various environmental impacts throughout communities. Deprived areas usually face higher challenges in reaching sustainable growth resulting from restricted sources and alternatives.
Consciousness and Training: Restricted consciousness and schooling on sustainable practices hinder group participation. Sturdy consciousness campaigns and academic initiatives are important to fostering a tradition of sustainability.
What classes can Nigeria be taught from cities like Paris, Dubai and the UK which evidently has achieved extra sustainable city environments?
Cities like Paris, Dubai, and the UK have certainly made strides in sustainable city growth however keep in mind we now have completely different socio-cultural and socio-economic constructs. Nigeria can draw beneficial classes from their experiences by prioritizing built-in city planning that considers environmental, social, and financial elements. We have to undertake complete planning methods that promote sustainability like yesterday.
Professionals within the constructed sector and related disciplines have to embrace progressive applied sciences for sustainable vitality, waste discount, and good metropolis options that may propel Nigeria in direction of cleaner city environments. Greatest practices from cities main in technological innovation can inform Nigerian city growth initiatives. I additionally assume inspecting the coverage frameworks of profitable cities offers insights into efficient governance constructions that promote sustainability. Nigeria can be taught from coverage improvements that stability financial progress with environmental conservation.
What’s HERability Hub about and the way do you empower younger girls to form their destinies and contribute to optimistic social change by way of the hub?
Herability Hub was rigorously conceptualized in session with numerous stakeholders to mirror the realities and incorporate sustainable fashions selling ladies’ consciousness of and participation in social, financial and political life. We champion the course of the woman baby and younger girls, domestically and internationally, in figuring out and overcoming these previous and up to date obstacles to their success and development. That the truth ought to be {that a} glass ceiling shouldn’t exist and have to be shattered however to take action, a military of empowered girls is required, and it begins with them.
HH offers a platform that empowers woman kids and younger girls to make good life selections by way of interactive boards, information change, mentorship, essential considering, advocacy and communication. HerAbility Hub can be a group platform that’s devoted to empowering girls by liberating their minds with the flexibility and drive to shatter the glass ceiling. HH offers profession talks targeted on mentoring younger feminine secondary college college students, interactive boards to boost essential considering expertise, mentor-pairing for inspiration, and real-life assist programs. Moreover, our emphasis extends to providing complementary civic engagement classes to foster optimistic societal change.
I’ve a real curiosity within the growth of youngsters, significantly ladies, and their impactful function in society. People from underprivileged backgrounds usually face a deprived start line, emphasizing the necessity for steady advocacy, capability constructing, and the creation of optimistic platforms. These initiatives purpose to assist them overcome obstacles and maximize their potential.
Inform us a few of your commitments and dedication in direction of advancing the course of woman baby schooling.
Firstly, OMOH! is a charming memoir of the primary 4 many years of my life. The guide impressed by my trajectory was written to foster mentorship to younger girls, The guide profiles me as a younger African feminine skilled, delving into the alternatives I’ve made and the extent to which they’ve influenced my id. Previously three years that the guide has been in print, hundreds of copies have been revealed and donated to colleges, establishments, libraries and so on. Owing to the broad reception of the guide and suggestions, I conceptualized the OMOH essay competitors, an initiative open to feminine college students attending public colleges and residents in Nigeria. All of the proceeds from the sale of Omoh have been channelled to the Gabriel Akomoh Yadua Basis, a Nigerian-based non-profit academic group, to create an enabling atmosphere for mathematically distinguished college students from deprived backgrounds attending Nigerian public colleges. This was achieved by establishing a math laboratory that teaches the scholars with inherent potentials of Math prowess, utilizing Science, Expertise, Engineering, Arts and Arithmetic (STEAM) as entry factors for guiding their inquiry, dialogue, and important considering.
Additionally, HerAbility in partnership with organizations and business specialists had previously years mentored hundreds of schoolgirls throughout Lagos by way of strategic profession talks and her interactive boards. Presently, we’re engaged on a guide challenge titled 20 Tales. This challenge goals to publish 20 inspiring tales of ladies from completely different walks of life. These tales will showcase the achievements, challenges, and distinctive experiences of those girls, serving as a supply of inspiration and motivation for readers.
Do you assume the woman baby’s schooling and development has improved in comparison with about 5 years in the past? If sure, what are a number of the elements resulting in the woman baby’s development in schooling?
Actually. Over the previous 5 years, there was a rising world recognition of the significance of empowering ladies by way of schooling. A number of elements have contributed to the development of woman baby schooling:
Firstly, the visibility of profitable girls in numerous fields has impressed ladies to pursue schooling and careers. Mentorship packages join ladies with profitable girls, offering steering and encouragement. The exceptional exploits of ladies in numerous fields function highly effective motivators for women pursuing schooling. When ladies witness profitable girls breaking the glass ceilings and reaching exceptional feats, it conjures up them to aspire for extra. Examples embody girls excelling in science, expertise, enterprise, sports activities, and management roles.
Additionally, elevated consciousness of gender disparities in schooling has led to advocacy efforts at numerous ranges. Organizations, governments, and communities have labored to spotlight the significance of teaching ladies and addressing the boundaries they face. Many nations have carried out or revised insurance policies to advertise gender-inclusive schooling. This consists of initiatives to make sure equal entry to colleges, offering sources particularly for women, and addressing cultural or societal elements which will hinder their schooling.
World organizations and initiatives, such because the United Nations’ Sustainable Growth Targets, have prioritized gender equality in schooling. This has resulted in collaborative efforts and monetary assist for packages aimed toward enhancing ladies’ entry to high quality schooling. Regardless of these optimistic traits, challenges like gender stereotypes, financial disparities, and cultural norms nonetheless impede progress. Sustained efforts, continued advocacy, and focused interventions are important to make sure that developments in woman baby schooling proceed and develop.
