Manuela George-Izunwa

Manuela George-Izunwa became the Rivers State Commissioner of Women Affairs in the Amaechi led government via her appointment by the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. She has campaigned for better treatment of widows, economic empowerment of women, prevention of abuse, improvements to health and girl child education.

Since she left office she has gone on to found two non-governmental organisations: G.O.L.D. (Girls' Organisation for Leadership and Development) in 2014 and its brother organisation B.O.L.D (Boys'Organisation for Leadership and Development) in 2019 after learning that gender inequality is first a negative norm and cannot be fought by women alone.

In 2018 she was appointed to serve Nigeria as a member of the board National Agency for the Control of AIDS, where she carries out her duties till date.

She studied Law in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and became a barrister after finishing her Law School at Bwari, Abuja. She was appointed Commissioner of Women Affairs by the Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi. She is also a pastor alongside her husband, Reverend George Izunwa, in Gateway International Church, Port Harcourt, which was founded on the 7th of January, 1996. she is blessed with three lovely children.

Her pastime is writing, she has several inspiring and encouraging quotes to her credit. Her blog "Deborah's Cradle" is a source of inspiration and encouragement. They can be found on "www.deborahscradle.org" as well as Goodreads.com.

Support for widows

In June 2009, speaking to the Rivers State House of Assembly, Izunwa praised the house for enacting gender-friendly laws, and asked them to pass further laws to enable widows return to normal life after the death of their husbands. She lobbied for the passing of a law on widowhood rights. In April 2010 she noted that over 7,000 women have benefited from the state-run micro-credit scheme for widows.

Economic training and assistance

In November 2009 Izunwa announced that the Women Affairs ministry was about to launch a mass literacy program for adult women, particularly in rural areas, and to train them in skills related to food production, processing and marketing. That month she applauded an initiative by Shell Nigeria to launch a micro credit programme in which members of the Ijaw Mothers Union would get loans to run businesses. In March 2010 Izumwa accompanied Dame Judith Amaechi, wife of Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, to Israel to inspect farms and discuss training and development of agriculture among women in Rivers State.

Girl Child Education

In May 2010 her Growing into Real Life (G.I.R.L) outreach program in partnership with the Women Affairs ministry began. She hoped that it would be taken to all girl schools in the state to help young women develop individually and to prepare them for leadership roles in society. The G.I.R.L project is to birth the PEARL Club in all schools of the State. In July 2010 Izunwa said her ministry was partnering with Judith Amaechi's Empowerment Support Initiative to provide training in technical skills for youth in the state in the expectation that the program would help improve the economy and reduce poverty.

Prevention of abuse

In December 2009 Izunwa urged Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr Suleman Abba, to initiate a zero tolerance policy for violence against women and to stop the practice of granting bail to rape suspects. That month she organized a seminar to discuss the problem, attended by many influential women in the state, as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In 2010 Izunwa's Ministry organized a 16-day activism program to end violence against women and organized awareness campaigns in market places and local government areas in collaboration with Doctors Without Borders. The ministry holds weekly counseling sessions for victims of abuse.

Health

In March 2010 Izunwa expressed worry over the increasing rate of maternal mortality, which she ascribed to ignorance, poverty and diseases, and called on health care practitioners to assist in ensuring that women knew where and when to get help. In April 2010 she used a television spot to inform women that there was a mammogram centre at Churchill Health centre, Port Harcourt, and advised women to conduct self breast examination as well as to go for breast cancer screening.