On August 7th, 2022, the baton changed hands as Niri Goyit emerged as the new Women’s Right Manager relieving Nkechi Illochi-Kanny, who is now the Head of Program ActionAid Nigeria.
In her previous role as the Project Coordinator Project Coordinator for the Northern region. She provided oversight and technical support to 53 organizations (17 direct and 36 indirect) in northern Nigeria. She provided system strengthening for the growth and development of partner organizations through training, mentoring, and handholding, enabling partners to attract grants from new donors.
She led women to conduct advocacies for their inclusion in community decision making platforms, which resulted in the inclusion of 109 women on traditional councils. The inclusion resulted in the constitution of community bylaws that reduced violence against women. In addition, she led the formation of girls’ safe spaces in 15 schools, which resulted in reduced teenage pregnancies, improved girls’ academic grades, reversed gender roles amongst girls and boys, etc.
Niri is currently undergoing her Phd studies in Gender and Develpment, she has a master in Management, Change and Development and a Bsc in Accounting.
It is no news that the rising cases of violence against women and girls, Sexual and Gender-Based Abuse, and women’s exclusion in politics has plagued us like a pandemic and caused many to lose their life. As an organization and unit, we will continue to fight and speak up against socio-cultural ills that promote abuse against women and girls until our society is free from these plagues.
With support from colleagues, partners, and stakeholders, she hopes to utilize her office to continue to tackle issues around women and girls in line with ActionAid Nigeria’s strategic focus two, which is to work to protect women and girls from violence and create opportunities for economic independence and decision making
ActionAid Nigeria’s Women’s Rights program mobilizes women to challenge unequal power relations at all levels and demand their rights to participate in decision-making processes and spaces. We facilitate access to information, gender-responsive public services, markets, and control over resources and take action to end violence against women and girls.
