By Blossom Ukoha “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela’s words capture a truth that is often overlooked: education does not transform societies by itself. Teachers are the people who turn education into opportunity. They stand at the intersection between knowledge and possibility, helping young people discover what they can become. For millions of girls, particularly across Africa, a woman teacher can be more than an educator. She can be a role model, a mentor and, sometimes, the first woman in a position of authority they encounter. That is why World Teachers’ Day 2026, observed on Monday, 5 October, is about more than celebrating teachers. It is a moment to ask whether the people entrusted with shaping future generations are themselves receiving the recognition, protection, resources and professional support they need. The 2026 observance, held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris,…

By Blossom Ukoha For millions of women around the world, home is more than a physical structure. It is where children are raised, livelihoods are built, education begins and families seek safety. Yet for women living in informal settlements, overcrowded communities or insecure housing, home can also mean exposure to unsafe sanitation, violence, displacement, climate hazards and economic hardship. This World Habitat Day, the question of who has access to adequate housing must therefore include a deeper question: what happens when women do not? Observed on 5 October 2026 under the theme “Adequate Housing for All,” World Habitat Day draws global attention to the housing crisis and the need for inclusive, safe and sustainable human settlements. The 2026 global observance in Muscat, Oman, launches Urban October at a time when the scale of the crisis is enormous. According to UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2026, up to 3.4 billion people lack adequate housing,…

By Blossom Ukoha A young woman sees an announcement about a government-funded business programme on her phone. The opportunity could help her expand her small enterprise, but she does not know where to apply, whether she qualifies or when applications close. A few days later, the opportunity disappears from her feed. For her, the problem was not a lack of ambition. It was a lack of accessible, reliable information. This is why access to information matters. Information can determine whether a woman knows about an opportunity, understands her rights, accesses a public service, makes an informed decision or participates in decisions that affect her family and community. On 28 September 2026, the world marks the International Day for Universal Access to Information under the theme “Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The role of access to information in addressing information disorder.” The United Nations says that in a digital environment filled…