2020
Elizabeth Talatu Williams
- Age: 28
- | She/her/hers
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Young people can only contribute meaningfully to society and fulfill their true potential when they have access to sexual reproductive health information and services — the bedrock of gender equality.
- Elizabeth Talatu Williams
Bio
Elizabeth Talatu Williams has eight years of experience in the development sector designing and delivering social impact projects focused on advancing young people’s health and wellbeing. She received a Master of Science in International Development from the University of Birmingham in 2022. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Impact and Development Initiative, a youth-led non-profit dedicated to advancing the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) of young people through community-based interventions, advocacy, and digital media. She currently serves as the National Coordinator of the African Youth and Adolescent Network on Population and Development (AfriYAN) where she leads the recruitment, retention, capacity building and engagement of 85 youth-led and youth-focused organizations working on youth health and development in Nigeria. Elizabeth was named by Global Citizen as one of the “6 young activists in Africa working to save the world”. She has spoken at several high-level meetings advocating for young people’s SRHR such as the United Nations General Assembly, International Conference on Population and Development, and International Conference on Family Planning. Additionally, Elizabeth serves as the Nigeria Youth Representative for the Civil Society Coordinating Group for the Global Financing Facility (CSCG).
What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?
My cousin dropped out of school at the age of 15 as a result of an unplanned pregnancy. This sparked my passion to advocate for young people's access to sexual reproductive health information and youth-friendly services towards advancing gender equality.
Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.
I served on the technical working group where I provide technical expertise towards the inclusion of comprehensive sexuality education into the curriculum of non-formal vocational training in Lagos state. The curriculum and manual were successfully adopted in September 2019 by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth.
Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?
Traveling, watching movies and spending quality time with friends and family
Languages Spoken:
- English (Advanced/Native)
- Yoruba (Advanced/Native)
- Hausa (Beginner)
- Yoruba (Advanced/Native)
Speaks On:
- Comprehensive Sexuality Education
- Family Planning
- meaningful youth engagement
Past Awards, Certifications, or Fellowships:
- Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Certificate by GFMER, WHO & UNFPA (2020)
- Girls Engagement Advisory Board Member
- Advocates for Youth, WDC (2015)
- Walter Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative (CYFI) Fellow (2018)
- YALI Young Leader, West Africa (2018)
- Sexuality Leadership Development Fellowship (SLDF) Fellow (2019)
- Finalist Nigeria Prize for Difference & Diversity by the Future Awards Africa (2020)
