HE Erelu Bisi Fayemi is a Gender Specialist and Policy Advocate. She has used her office to advocate for laws and policies in Ekiti State: The Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law (2011), Ekiti State Gender Policy (2011) the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law (2013) and the HIV Anti-Stigma Law (2014). She is currently involved in the following advocacy initiatives:
- Implementation of the GBV Law of 2011: As Chair of the Management Committee for the implementation of the GBV Law, HE is dedicated to ensuring that this very important legislation continues to protect vulnerable citizens from all forms of violence and abuse. In addition,
HE continues to advocate for the rights of children and against harmful traditional practices such as widowhood rights that undermine the rights and well-being of widows.
- Gender and Vulnerable Persons Unit (GVPU): With the support of the Ministry of Justice, Ekiti State, there is a GVPU based in the office of HE, coordinated by a Lawyer and a team of dedicated volunteers who help citizens in distress (mostly women but not exclusively) through timely interventions.
- HIV/AIDS Awareness: As Chair of the Ekiti State AIDS Control Agency (EKSACA) HE lends her voice to HIV Awareness, prevention and treatment efforts in Ekiti State.
- Keep Girls in School Campaign: This new advocacy initiative of HE Erelu Bisi Fayemi, is aimed at creating awareness and mobilizing resources to ensure that girls stay in school for as long as possible.
- Anti-Female Genital Mutilation: HE is currently involved in activities to remove Ekiti State from the list of States with a high prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation. Using a combination of community sensitization, awareness raising and economic empowerment activities, HE provides support to the Ekiti State FGM Task Force.
- Cancer Prevention and Healthy Living: HE is a passionate advocate for cancer prevention and healthy living, using her various networks and platforms to promote these issues wherever she goes, as well as organizing regular screenings for women. In October 2013, HE’s Ekiti Development Foundation worked with the Ekiti State Government to establish the Funmilayo Olayinka Diagnostic and Well-Being Center at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital.
- Open-Defecation Champion: In a partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Utilities, HE is an Advocacy Champion against open-defecation, again trying to minimize this practice in Ekiti State.