NIGAWD Marks 14 Years Of Empowering Women, Girls, Promoting Democratic Integrity Across Africa

By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews | Thursday, 17 September 2026

The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) has marked its 14th anniversary, celebrating more than a decade of interventions focused on women’s and girls’ rights, socio-economic empowerment, the prevention of harmful cultural practices and the promotion of democratic integrity in Nigeria and across Africa.

NIGAWD, which was founded on September 17, 2012, said its journey began from a small shop following a vision received by its Founder and Executive Director, Abimbola Aladejare-Salako, in March 2012.

According to the organisation, what started as a step of faith has grown into a women-led continental organisation working across several areas, including gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence prevention, electoral integrity, policy advocacy and human capital development.

Over the past 14 years, NIGAWD said it has implemented programmes aimed at protecting vulnerable women and children while creating opportunities for them to rebuild their lives.

The organisation said it has rescued street children and supported teenage mothers to return to school, enabling them to continue their education and pursue better futures.

It has also implemented economic empowerment initiatives for widows and orphans, providing them with resources and opportunities designed to promote financial independence and long-term stability.

In the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights, NIGAWD said it established the When Girls Talk and When Boys Konnet programmes to provide adolescents with relevant information and support.

The initiatives, according to the organisation, have reached and empowered more than 10,000 adolescent girls and boys, many of whom are now contributing to their communities and various professional fields.

NIGAWD has also expanded its digital engagement through the AskNIVI WhatsApp-enabled platform, which provides sexual and reproductive health and rights information to young people and women.

The organisation said it has complemented the platform with social media campaigns, artificial intelligence-powered videos, digital engagement and online advocacy, as part of efforts to make rights information more accessible.

Another major area of NIGAWD’s intervention has been the campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM).

The organisation said it has rescued thousands of girls from the practice and supported advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening measures against FGM in Nigeria and other African countries.

Aladejare-Salako’s work in this area earned her an opportunity to speak at the United States’ first End FGM Summit in Washington in 2016.

She also served as the African Union Saleema Youth Ambassador for West Africa and as an End FGM Ambassador between 2016 and 2019.

Through these roles, NIGAWD said she contributed to anti-FGM advocacy and frameworks across Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Egypt, The Gambia, Kenya, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso.

On gender-based violence, the organisation has advocated for stronger prevention and response mechanisms while placing emphasis on the dignity and protection of survivors.

NIGAWD said Aladejare-Salako took the issue of ethical survivor storytelling to the international stage during Expo 2020 in Dubai, where she advocated for the responsible reporting and documentation of survivors’ experiences based on the “Do No Harm” principle.

She also served as a member of the Civil Society Africa Reference Group on the Spotlight Initiative.

The organisation has equally pursued policy advocacy aimed at strengthening legal and institutional protections for women and young people.

It said it has advocated for the full implementation of the Maputo Protocol and championed the Ekiti Youth Agenda as part of efforts to ensure that policies and legal frameworks translate into practical protections and opportunities for women and youth.

In the area of democracy and electoral integrity, NIGAWD has implemented initiatives designed to promote peaceful elections and increase youth participation.

Among its programmes is the Vote Not Fight – Election No Be War campaign, which promotes peaceful participation during elections.

Through the YERP Naija initiative, the organisation has also worked to promote youth participation across the six South-West states of Nigeria.

NIGAWD said that, most recently, it spearheaded the Osun State Governorship Election Situation Room, where it led data integration and conducted specialised compliance training for legal assessors.

Beyond its advocacy programmes, the organisation has placed emphasis on developing young people through volunteering, training and capacity-building opportunities.

NIGAWD said it has served for 14 years as a platform for fresh graduates and volunteers to acquire experience, develop their skills and contribute to social change.

It added that many of its alumni are now working in different sectors within Nigeria and other parts of Africa, where they are contributing to development in their respective fields.

Reflecting on the organisation’s journey, Aladejare-Salako said she started NIGAWD as a young woman without support, relying on faith and a conviction to pursue the vision.

“Fourteen years ago, as a young woman with no support, I took a leap of faith to obey an instruction. I didn’t know if this vision would collapse at year three,” she said.

She added that the organisation had reached its 14th anniversary through the grace of God, the dedication of its team and the support of individuals and organisations that believed in its vision.

“Today, we look back at a 14-year journey of immense impact, powered by the grace of God and the dedication of our vision helpers. We have ensured that the voices of women are protected, their stories are told with dignity, and our democratic institutions are held accountable,” Aladejare-Salako said.

NIGAWD acknowledged the contribution of its partners over the years, noting that its first institutional funding came from the European Union’s 10th European Development Fund and was implemented through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The organisation also expressed appreciation to The Girl Generation, UNFPA, National Democratic Institute (NDI), Equal Measures 2030, Global Media Campaign, AmplifyChange, Equality Now and the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition, among other partners.

As it enters its 15th year, NIGAWD said it would intensify its efforts towards addressing gender-based violence, women’s rights, harmful social norms, digital inequalities, youth participation and democratic accountability.

The organisation said it would also focus on the meaningful implementation of laws and policies affecting women and girls.

It added that it plans to strengthen its grassroots presence while expanding its contribution to national, regional and continental policy discussions.

NIGAWD said it would continue to invest in evidence, innovation, leadership development, partnerships and digital approaches capable of amplifying the voices of women and girls.

The organisation further pledged to strengthen the connection between research, policy, community action and advocacy, ensuring that knowledge generated through its programmes contributes to practical solutions for women, girls and young people.

For partnership inquiries, detailed impact reports and media interviews, interested individuals and organisations can contact the Communications Department of The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) through executivedirector@nigawd.org or info@nigawd.org.