The Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) joins the global community to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, observed annually from 25th November to 10th December. This year’s campaign theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls,” draws attention to the growing prevalence of online harassment, abuse, and exploitation targeting women and girls in digital spaces.

Digital violence, ranging from online harassment to non-consensual sharing of personal content, represents a serious violation of human rights. WRAPA recognizes that as the digital world expands, so too does the risk of abuse, threatening the safety, dignity, and equality of women and girls.

As part of this year’s campaign, WRAPA calls for:

1. Strengthened Legal and Policy Frameworks: Governments, tech companies, and civil society must work together to ensure that laws and enforcement mechanisms effectively prevent and address digital violence.
2. Community Engagement: Traditional and religious leaders, community groups, and individuals should actively promote awareness, encourage responsible digital behaviour, and support survivors.
3. Empowerment and Support for Survivors: Women and girls must have access to digital literacy, safe reporting channels, and survivor-centred support services.

WRAPA emphasizes that ending digital violence is not only a matter of safety but also a precondition for equality, inclusion, and freedom in the 21st century. We urge all stakeholders, government agencies, civil society, technology platforms, communities, and individuals, to UNiTE to create safe, inclusive, and empowering digital spaces for women and girls.

Let us commit to action beyond these 16 days and work collectively to ensure that women and girls can navigate both physical and digital spaces free from violence, fear, and discrimination.

Signed,
WRAPA Nigeria

The Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), with support from the Ford Foundation, successfully hosted a landmark Culture and Faith Dialogue in Kano State under the theme “Affirming Contributions of Culture and Faith Institutions to the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Northern Nigeria.”

The dialogue brought together religious leaders, traditional rulers, academics, women’s rights advocates, and community representatives to explore how cultural and faith-based institutions are shaping safer, more equitable societies for women and girls in Northern Nigeria.

Commemorating 65 Years of Partnership and Progress
The event formed part of activities marking the 65th Anniversary of the Ford Foundation’s operations in West Africa, coinciding with Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. The anniversary theme, “From Nation Building to Social Justice,” reflected the Foundation’s continued commitment to fostering equality, inclusion, and justice across the region.

For WRAPA, the dialogue provided an opportunity to celebrate a longstanding partnership with the Ford Foundation, one that has strengthened grassroots efforts to prevent violence against women and girls through community-based and interfaith approaches.

A Dialogue Rooted in Faith, Culture, and Community
The Kano dialogue featured an interfaith open space conversation and a gallery walk that highlighted the evolution of cultural and religious institutions from supportive allies to active champions of gender equity and accountability.

Participants reflected on the shared values of justice, compassion, and respect embedded in faith and culture, and how these values can drive the prevention of violence and the protection of women and girls’ rights.

Habiba Ahmed, WRAPA Senior Programs Officer taking participants through the gallery walk

Kano: A Strategic Hub for Change
The event was organized in partnership with the Centre for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) at Bayero University, Kano (BUK). The choice of Kano was intentional — recognizing its influence as a cultural and religious center in Northern Nigeria and CICID’s strong reputation as a neutral platform for advancing dialogue, peace, and social justice.

Voices of Commitment

HaJ. Saudatu Mahdi MFR

Speaking at the event, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, MFR, Secretary General of WRAPA, reaffirmed the organization’s dedication to working with cultural and faith leaders to end violence against women and girls:

“Over the years, WRAPA has worked with religious and traditional leaders to bridge divides and amplify community voices against violence and injustice. This dialogue is a testament to the progress we’ve achieved, transforming institutions of faith and culture from supportive allies to active champions of gender equity and social justice.”

A Step Toward a Safer Future
The Culture and Faith Dialogue in Kano underscored WRAPA’s commitment to promoting gender justice through inclusive, community-led approaches. By engaging cultural and religious leaders, WRAPA continues to affirm that sustainable progress in preventing violence against women and girls must be rooted in collaboration, shared values, and community ownership.

The event concluded with renewed commitments from faith and traditional institutions to strengthen their roles in advocating for gender equality and ensuring that women and girls live free from violence and discrimination

WRAPA Nigeria is pleased to announce three consultancy opportunities to support our work on addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) through documentation, knowledge generation, and publication. We invite qualified individuals with relevant expertise to apply. In line with our internal policy and commitment to Gender and Diversity Inclusion (GDI), we strongly encourage women to apply for all roles.

1. Case Study Consultancy on Compassion and Protection: VAWG Islamic Perspectives

WRAPA seeks a consultant to develop a compelling case study exploring Islamic perspectives on compassion and protection in addressing VAWG. This work will support knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, and culturally grounded advocacy.

Click here to apply

2. VAWG Prevention Case Studies

We are inviting applications from researchers and consultants to document impactful, community-based or institutional case studies on VAWG prevention. These case studies will contribute to learning and replication of good practices.

Click here to apply

3. Report Editing and Packaging

WRAPA is looking for a skilled consultant to professionally edit and package key project reports. This includes content refinement, formatting, and aligning with WRAPA’s style and branding guidelines.

Click here to apply

Women are strongly encouraged to apply

Qualified women candidates are highly encouraged to apply for any of the above consultancies. We believe in building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve.

Deadline for applications: 17 July 2025

For inquiries, please contact: wrapa399@gmail.com

Let’s work together to advance the protection and dignity of women and girls in Nigeria and beyond.

WRAPA, in partnership with leading Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), made a bold statement for gender equity at the Public Hearings on the Review of the 1999 Constitution. These hearings were held simultaneously across five of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, excluding Kano, where the session was rescheduled.

At each zonal center, WRAPA submitted a strategic and powerful Memorandum demanding key constitutional reforms:

• Accelerated passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill — a transformative step toward boosting women’s representation in Nigeria’s National and State Assemblies.

• Reform of INEC leadership — to ensure transparency, independence, and credibility in Nigeria’s electoral processes.

In Lagos, CSOs were ably represented by Dr. Abiola Akiyode Afolabi, who delivered a compelling presentation emphasizing the urgency of inclusive electoral reforms that prioritize the voices and participation of Nigerian women.

A Major Win: Senate President Voices Support

One of the day’s biggest highlights came from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who publicly pledged his support for the Additional Seats Bill for Women. He cited global examples of reserved seats as successful models for inclusive governance.
This milestone follows strong advocacy by traditional rulers, women’s rights groups, and civil society voices united in the push for a more representative constitution.

“This is more than a hearing, it’s a turning point,” said one participant. “We are witnessing the power of collective advocacy in motion.”

The Journey Continues

As the hearings continue tomorrow, so does our momentum. WRAPA remains committed to ensuring the Nigerian Constitution reflects the diversity, strength, and aspirations of all its people, especially women.

Together, we won. And together, we keep going.

With the unwavering support of the MacArthur Foundation, the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) is igniting a nationwide movement for inclusive electoral reform, accountability, and the meaningful participation of women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Through community engagements, sensitization dialogues, and market outreaches, WRAPA is creating spaces where citizens can speak openly about their experiences, share challenges, and explore practical solutions to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy. In one such dialogue, Mr. Francis Onahor, Programs Manager at CLP, shared insights from other countries’ electoral reform journeys, showing how systemic changes have enhanced the inclusion of women and PWDs in governance.

Participants recounted deeply personal stories, some of exclusion, others of determination. One speech-impaired participant revealed the indignities faced at polling stations:

“When people like me try to vote, INEC officials or others in line tell us to go home. They say, ‘What is an incomplete person doing here?’”

For those who are visually impaired, the reality can be even harsher, with reports of votes being changed by aides or corrupt officials. And when PWDs aspire to political office, they are often told to “manage their incomplete body at home.”

These experiences underline WRAPA belief that electoral reform must go beyond legislative changes, it must challenge discriminatory attitudes and build systems that uphold inclusion, dignity, and the rights of all citizens.

Across its engagements, WRAPA has introduced advocacy frameworks such as the Uwais Electoral Reform Report and the National Gender Policy, equipping communities with practical tools to drive reform. Sensitization materials, including flyers, have been distributed to ensure the message extends beyond meeting rooms and into daily interactions in homes, workplaces, and marketplaces.

Each gathering has ended with strong commitments from participants, pledges to amplify the call for reform, to educate others, and to use their spheres of influence to push for a political system that welcomes and empowers women, PWDs, and all marginalized voices.

This growing movement is clear in its demand: Nigeria’s democracy must reflect the diversity, dignity, and potential of all its people.

Nigeria is home to over 8 million widows, yet their plight remains largely invisible in national policy and programming. With poverty deepening and displacement rising, urgent protection is not just necessary, it is long overdue.

Read more

The Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), in collaboration with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship & Leadership and Servelead Global, with support from the MacArthur Foundation, successfully hosted a high-impact 5-day Business Development and Leadership Training for 20 aspiring young women.

Held at the Respectech Centre, Abuja, the training equipped participants with essential skills for personal and business growth. From discovering their unique identities to mastering financial recordkeeping, digital branding, and content creation, every session was tailored to unlock potential and build real-world capacity.

Participants gained hands-on experience in producing professional videos, managing social media platforms, running targeted advertisements, and creating engaging content to promote their businesses with confidence and creativity.

Beyond entrepreneurship, the program addressed key leadership competencies such as public speaking, civic engagement, and gender-responsive advocacy, empowering the young women to not only scale their ventures but also champion positive change in their communities.

The program culminated in a celebration and the symbolic presentation of grant checks, marking the beginning of new opportunities for each participant.

This initiative stands as a testament to what is possible when young women are provided with the right tools, knowledge, and support to lead, build, and thrive.