The Womanifesto, a movement of over 300 women groups has officially commenced the implementation of the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership (RWVL) Nigeria Project.
The initiative is designed to strengthen grassroots women’s movements, amplify survivors’ voices, and deepen accountability for gender equality and the enforcement of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) laws across Nigeria.
The Co-Convener, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, explained that the intervention supported under the ActionAid Nigeria Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership (RWVL) Project will kick off in Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Enugu, with activities aimed at building a stronger, coordinated feminist movement that empowers women and survivors to drive advocacy and institutional accountability.
She stated that the project responds to the persistent challenges confronting women and survivors despite the existence of legal frameworks such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.
The Co-Convener pointed out that weak enforcement, inadequate institutional responses, harmful social norms, stigma, and limited access to justice continue to deny many survivors the protection and support they deserve.
Akiyode-Afolabi said the initiative represents a bold step towards institutionalizing a feminist movement that places survivors and grassroots women at the centre of advocacy, leadership, and decision-making.
The co-convener added that the project will strengthen women’s agency by connecting grassroots activists to national advocacy platforms, improving engagement with duty bearers, promoting issue-based advocacy, expanding media engagement, and advancing policy reforms that protect the rights of women and girls.
‘As part of the intervention, Womanifesto will map and document more than 1,000 grassroots women activists, survivors, students, labour groups, civil society organisations, and gender equality policies and laws across Nigeria. The exercise will establish a comprehensive national database and coordination platform to enhance collaboration and rapid collective action’, she said.
‘The project will also establish a Feminist Action Alert and dedicated WhatsApp communities to provide timely information sharing, emergency response, and coordinated advocacy on issues affecting women and girls. Safe spaces, community dialogues, mentorship programmes, peer learning sessions, and media engagements will further equip women activists and survivors with the knowledge and leadership skills needed to challenge harmful social norms and demand accountability’, Akiyode-Afolabi said.
‘In addition, the initiative will work towards strengthening the institutional capacity of Feminist Womanifesto through legal registration, governance structures, enhanced visibility, and strategic partnerships to ensure sustainability beyond the project’s lifespan’, she stressed.
Akiyode-Afolabi called on government institutions, civil society organisations, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, media practitioners, and citizens to support the initiative by promoting survivor-centred justice, strengthening enforcement of gender equality laws, and creating safer communities where women and girls can live free from violence and discrimination.
The Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Project will run from April to December 2026 and is expected to contribute significantly to building an institutionalised feminist network that amplifies women’s voices, strengthens grassroots organising, and promotes accountability at community, state, and national levels’, she added.
