Group Demands Stronger Women’s Voice to End GBV in Anambra

The Women Information Network (WINET) has called for the strengthening and sustenance of an inclusive and coordinated women’s movement in Nigeria to effectively advocate gender equality, social justice, and the economic and political empowerment of women.
Executive Director of WINET, Mrs. Miriam Menkiti, made the call in Awka, Anambra State, during a one-day capacity-building training for leaders of women’s rights organisations in the state.
The training, titled “Strengthening Women’s Rights Organizations in Nigeria for Gender-Based Violence Prevention,” was supported by the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement.
The initiative is part of the Strengthening Women’s Movements in Nigeria (SWMN) project being implemented by Amandla across the country’s six geopolitical zones. WINET is coordinating activities in the five South-East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
Menkiti said the project seeks to build and sustain a well-coordinated and impactful women’s movement capable of influencing policies and programmes that promote gender equality and social justice.
According to her, WINET has been working closely with women’s rights organisations and government stakeholders to achieve the project’s objectives.
“We set out on this project to work with women’s rights organisations in achieving the goal. Several of them here were part of our team that engaged government officials in advocacy visits to introduce the project and seek their partnership,” she said.
She explained that the training was designed to equip participants with skills in movement building for gender-based violence prevention while exposing them to feminist and intergenerational leadership principles.
“Today, we have brought together leaders of women’s rights organisations in Anambra to strengthen their capacity in movement building for GBV prevention and to learn about feminist and intergenerational leadership.
“We are teaching them how to work collectively as a team towards ending gender-based violence and addressing other issues affecting women. They also need to speak with one voice to attract government attention and ensure their concerns are addressed,” she added.
Menkiti cited the historic Aba Women’s Riot as an example of the power of collective action, noting that the women achieved significant reforms through effective mobilisation despite lacking modern communication tools.
She said similar successes could be achieved if women unite around common causes, including advocacy for the proposed Reserved Seats Bill aimed at increasing women’s representation in governance.
According to her, the bill would help address the longstanding exclusion of women from decision-making spaces and provide greater opportunities for political participation.
Menkiti disclosed that 25 participants benefited from the training and noted that the project team would proceed to Imo and Abia states after completing similar programmes in Enugu and Ebonyi.
She commended the Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Esther Chinyere Onyekesi, as well as the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement for supporting the initiative.
Resource persons at the training included WINET Programme Manager, Ijeomah Obinna Onwuka, and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Chinelo Dim, who delivered presentations on “Feminist Leadership for the 21st Century” and “Values of Feminist Leadership,” respectively.