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Maryam Uwais

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Maryam Uwais
MFR
Born
Maryam Isa Wali

Kano State
NationalityNigerian
Alma materAhmadu Bello University, Zaria
Occupations
  • Lawyer[1]
  • business woman
  • politician
  • human right activist
Known forAdvocacy, Development, Women's Rights, Child's right
SpouseMohammed Uwais
FatherIsa Wali
AwardsNational Honours Award of the Order of the Niger (2011)[2]

Maryam Hajiya Uwais, MFR is a Nigerian business woman, lawyer, human right activist and politician who served as the Special Advisor on Social Investments to Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 till 2023.[3][4] She has over 36 years experience in law practice, including roles at the Kano state ministry of industry, the central bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Law Reform Commission.[5]

After her appointment, she was already an activist against poverty by working in N-Power, public enlightening and others.[6]

Career

In 1981, Uwais started her education at Ahmadu Bello University where she had her LL.M in 1985.[7] Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies awarded her a certificate of honor in Advanced practice and Procedure that same year and Legal drafting in 1989. Uwais worked as a consultant for several prominent organizations. These include the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, UNICEF, the World Bank, and the UK's Department for International Development (DfID). Uwais has also written and published numerous articles on a variety of subject areas, including economic and social rights, interfaith dialogue, child justice administration, and good governance.[8]

She worked as a special rapporteur on Child's right of the council of the National Human Rights Commission. In 2009, She founded the Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative.[9] She has also worked as a Non-Executive Director and Member of Board of Directors of Stanbic IBTC Holdings.[10]

Activism

Her advocacy has been on gender related issues and feminism. She quoted, "...child marriage as the worst form of violence against the girl-child."[11]

Uwais was the National Coordinator of At-Risk-Children Programme sponsored and owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria.[12] Most of her work also touches child marriage in Nigeria[13] and proposing Women's empowerment.[14]

Media and public image

She was one of the speakers for TEDxYaba 2017.[15][16]

Fellowships

Awards and recognitions

In 2011, Goodluck Johnathan awarded Maryam, Saudatu Mahdi and others a National Honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.[2] The International Women's Society awarded her that same year with the Humanitarian of the Year Award.[21] In 2012, she was the recipient of This Day Awards for women of service in Nigeria.[19] She was the recipient of National Human Rights Commission Awardee for Outstanding Contributions in the Advancement of the Rights of Women and Children in Nigeria, 2015.[22]

In 2018, Uwais was honoured with the ‘Public Social Intrapreneur’ award by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.[23][24]

Publications

  • Uwais, Maryam (2007). The protocol on the rights of women in Africa and its compatibility with Islamic legal principles; In: Grace, tenacity and eloquence: the struggle for women's rights in Africa. Fahamu. pp. 144–151. ISBN 9780954563721.

Further reading

  • Ukwuoma, A. (2013). Child Marriage in Nigeria: The Health Hazards and Socio-Legal Implications. Lulu press. ISBN 9781304456182.
  • Anwar, A. (2019). Politics as Dashed Hopes in Nigeria. Nigeria: Safari Books Limited. ISBN 9789785598650.

References

  1. ^ Joe Sandler Clarke (11 June 2015). "Child bride freed by Nigerian authorities looks to new beginnings". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Dangote, Jacobs, Genevieve, Yobo, Osita Iheme, 359 others make national honours lists". Vanguard Nigeria. Archived from the original on 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  3. ^ "Maryam Uwais, MFR is the current Special Advisor to President Muhammadu Buhari" (PDF). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Things You Need to Know About Buhari's Special Adviser on Social Protection, Maryam Uwais". Nigerian Bulletin. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Maryam Uwais - Lagos Business School". Lagos Business School - Pan-Atlantic University. 2019-04-16. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  6. ^ "How FG is eradicating poverty in Nigeria – Uwais". Daily Sun. 27 July 2018. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Nigeria: Spotlighting the Presidential Aides (I)". All Africa via Leadership News. Abuja). 4 September 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Maryam Uwais - Lagos Business School". Lagos Business School - Pan-Atlantic University. 2019-04-16. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  9. ^ "Maryam Uwais | CHAIRPERSON & FOUNDER ISA WALI EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE (IWEI)". Those Who Inspire. Archived from the original on 2021-08-03. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  10. ^ "Maryam Uwais | Former Board Member, Stanbic Ibtc Bank PLC". bloomberg.com.
  11. ^ "Child marriage worst form of violence against the girl child – Uwais". The Nation. Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  12. ^ "Over 41,000 vulnerable Children to benefit from FG's ARC-P in Borno". Vanguard News. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  13. ^ Ukwuoma 2013.
  14. ^ Anwar 2019, p. 484.
  15. ^ "Maryam Uwais, Seni Sulyman, Lala Akindoju, to speak at the TedxYaba 2017 themed Past, Present, Future". BellaNaija.com. 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Meet the Speakers for TEDxYaba: Maryam Uwais (MFR) Special Advisor to FG, Social Investment". Techpoint Africa. 8 August 2017. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Maryam Uwais". KI Fellows. Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  18. ^ dyepkazah Shibayan (23 September 2019). "Buhari's SIP in the spotlight as WEF confers award on Maryam Uwais". TheCable. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  19. ^ a b "3 NLI Fellows and 1 Associate Honoured at the ThisDay Annual Awards for Excellence". Nigeria Leadership Initiative. Archived from the original on 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  20. ^ "#LLANews: Maryam Uwais has been appointed as an Advisory Board Member, Goalkeepers Advisory Group of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation". Leading Ladies Africa. 23 May 2022. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  21. ^ Ajumobi, Kemi (6 December 2019). "Women in Business- Maryam Uwais". Business Day.
  22. ^ Adelanwa Bamgboye (21 December 2015). "NHRC at 20 - Receives 308,000 Complaint". All Africa via Daily Trust. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Mrs. (Barr.) Maryam Uwais OON". sydani group.
  24. ^ "World Economic Forum Lauds President Buhari's Social Investment Programme". Nigerian Television Authority. September 23, 2019.
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