Institutional Strengthening and Advocacy for Interfaith Female Religious Leaders and Female-Led CSOs on Gender-Based Violence

YouthCare Development and Empowerment Initiative > Institutional Strengthening and Advocacy for Interfaith Female Religious Leaders and Female-Led CSOs on Gender-Based Violence

Location: Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Supported by: Nigeria Women’s Trust Fund

Project Overview

This initiative is designed to strengthen the institutional capacity and advocacy competencies of interfaith female religious leaders and female-led Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in their communities.

Implemented in Ibadan, Oyo State, and supported by the Nigeria Women’s Trust Fund, the project delivered comprehensive training sessions focused on equipping participants with the knowledge, tools, and strategies necessary for effective GBV prevention and response. The training emphasized interfaith collaboration, policy advocacy, and community mobilization.

Key Activities

  • Capacity Building Workshops for interfaith female religious leaders and female-led CSOs on GBV, community engagement, and faith-based advocacy.
  • Step-Down Trainings conducted by participants in their respective religious and organizational settings to cascade knowledge and extend impact to a wider audience.
  • Resource Development to support ongoing advocacy and GBV response efforts within faith communities and grassroots organizations.

Impact

  1. Strengthened grassroots leadership and institutional resilience among women leaders in faith and civil society.
  2. Broadened the reach of GBV awareness and prevention messaging through community-based, faith-driven channels.
  3. Fostered sustainable partnerships between religious institutions and civil society in the fight against GBV.

This project exemplifies the power of faith-based and civil society collaboration in transforming norms, empowering women leaders, and building community-rooted solutions to end gender-based violence.