Doom Mavis Ikyaator’s Story

Global Initiative for Girls Rights Education and Empowerment, Nigeria

I am a development practitioner with over 10 years of experience. A few years ago, I lost my dad in a very tragic way and this sparked the interest in me to begin my journey in mental health. This quest led me to pursue a graduate degree in Counselling. Currently, I work with women and girls who are experiencing mental health challenges as a result of Gender Based Violence and other controlling issues. Our organization provides psychosocial support for women and girls experiencing all kinds of violence including those in conflict/crises situations.

Please share your reflections on what you've learned and you would like to share with our global community.

Most women and girls in Nigeria and Africa at large are experiencing deep mental health challenges, mainly due to certain factors such as poverty. Policies, discrimination and stigma often mean that they are not able to get the required support. More awareness, attention and funding need to be invested in addressing women and girls mental health.

What has been your favorite moment as a member of GMHAN?

I have really valued the networking opportunities.

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