Nigeria has been elected to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), securing 123 votes in Friday’s election.

The announcement was made by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, who congratulated the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and Nigerian women on the achievement.

Nigeria was among the countries elected to the UN body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and advancing gender equality across the world.

Sri Lanka recorded the highest number of votes with 144, followed by Egypt with 141, Uganda with 140, Mongolia with 136, Canada with 135, Estonia and Azerbaijan with 133 each, Cuba with 128, Spain with 125, Mexico with 119, and Antigua and Barbuda with 118.

Countries that failed to secure seats include Mozambique, which received 103 votes, Gabon with 101, South Africa with 73, Burkina Faso with 61, Niger with 58, Benin with 56, Namibia with 55, and Albania with 44.

The CEDAW Committee is a United Nations body tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and promoting gender equality globally.