WOMEN VOICE AND LEADERSHIP PROJECT IN
LAGOS STATE

The Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) Nigeria Project, implemented by ActionAid Nigeria and funded by Global Affairs Canada, spans five years (2019-2024) and operates in 18 LGAs/LCDAs across Lagos State, covering 46 communities. The project collaborates with 3 Local Women Rights Organizations (LWROs), 1 LWRO Network, and 12 Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), totaling 16 partners. Key community structures involved include GBV volunteers, artisan groups, community development associations, traders associations, and political party facilitators.

The WVL project in Lagos State has made significant strides in addressing gender-based violence (GBV), empowering women economically, and promoting socio-economic inclusion for elderly women. With a financial investment of over N327 million, the project has reached over 1.1 million people directly and approximately 1.6 million through traditional and social media. Notable achievements include establishing a functional GBV resource center, empowering 931 women through economic programs, and using radio as a tool for development. The project has also successfully influenced policies and frameworks that support women’s rights and inclusion, demonstrating the transformative impact of sustained community engagement and tailored capacity-building initiatives.

The WVL project partners in Lagos State have made substantial contributions towards several frameworks, policies, and laws that enhance women’s rights and inclusion. Key contributions include:

1. Five Gender Bills for Constitutional Amendment: Addressing indigene-ship, equal citizenship rights, 35% affirmative action for women in political parties and other appointments, and 111 reserved seats.
2. Domestication of the Maputo Protocol: Advancing women’s rights in Africa.
3. Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme (LSHIS) “Ilera Eko”: Enabling elderly individuals to access a range of healthcare services.
4. Lagos State Residents’ Registration Agency (LASRRA): Providing targeted social services and health schemes for elderly residents.
5. 35% Affirmative Action on Political Parties’ Bill: Ensuring women hold 35% of executive positions in political parties.
6. Inclusion of at least 10% Affirmative Action in Ministerial Appointments: Promoting gender balance in government positions.
7. Citizenship Bill: Granting citizenship to foreign-born husbands of Nigerian women, mirroring the rights already given to Nigerian men’s foreign-born wives.
8. Indigene-ship Bill: Allowing married women to choose their state of origin and adopt their husband’s state after five years of marriage.

These contributions have fostered a more inclusive and supportive environment for women’s rights and empowerment in Lagos State.