Abuja: The Renewed Women’s Voices and Leadership Nigeria (RWVL-N) Project is strengthening Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs) across the country to advance gender equality. The project is also enhancing women’s leadership and improving the socio-economic well-being of women and girls.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Olonade, Communications Specialist with the Voice of Women Empowerment Foundation (VOWEF), gave the assurance in a statement on behalf of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Gender and Development Action (GADA), Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Women Radio 91.7FM, and other WROs. He stated that the five-year project implemented by ActionAid Nigeria with funding from Global Affairs Canada, was supporting women-focused organisations through institutional strengthening, funding, movement-building, and advocacy initiatives. The project is being implemented in Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Enugu, Imo, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory, among other locations.
He noted that the initiative is designed to strengthen the capacity of WROs to champion gender equality while improving the lives of women and girls across Nigeria. “The project goes beyond programme implementation by helping participating organisations to strengthen their institutional systems, improve organisational sustainability, and build stronger collaboration among WROs. It also promotes strategic communication and visibility to increase public awareness of interventions while documenting the impact of organisations working to advance the rights of women and girls,” he said.
Olonade highlighted that the project was sustaining locally-led approaches to gender equality and women’s empowerment. He detailed that the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) was implementing programmes in Bauchi, Gombe, and Plateau states under the RWVL-N Project. This focus is on women’s economic empowerment through financial literacy, entrepreneurship development, and community engagement. FOMWAN has also convened 56 traditional, religious, and community leaders across 10 communities to strengthen support for women’s financial inclusion initiatives.
He added that Gender and Development Action is implementing activities in Cross River to promote women’s economic empowerment and participation in decision-making, also under the RWVL-N Project. The organisation is mapping gender gaps within the palm oil, cocoa, and seafood value chains to identify opportunities for greater participation by women and support advocacy for more inclusive economic policies.
In Enugu State, the Women Aid Collective (WACOL) is implementing the project through strategic partnerships to strengthen responses to gender-based violence and protect the rights of women and girls. WACOL facilitated the inauguration of the Enugu State RWVL-N Project Steering Committee, bringing together government agencies and civil society organisations to promote collaboration and policy engagement. Members of the committee include representatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Enugu Zonal Command, and some Enugu State ministries.
The communications specialist further noted that the project is promoting women’s political participation ahead of the 2027 general elections. Women Radio 91.7FM is implementing programmes on voter education, candidate visibility, and public discussions to encourage greater participation of women in politics. Participating WROs in Benue, Imo, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, and FCT are implementing interventions on women economic empowerment, prevention of gender-based violence, leadership development, institutional strengthening, and social inclusion.
Olonade urged stakeholders, including government institutions, development partners, and communities, to support initiatives that would promote the rights, leadership, and economic advancement of women. He emphasized that stronger WROs are essential to achieving inclusive and sustainable national development.