Benin City, Nigeria – In a significant stride towards fostering a more just and equitable society, the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City has joined forces with the Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) to host a pivotal Women’s Empowerment Seminar.
This collaboration marks the launch of a year-long project titled “Women Religious (Nuns) as Collaborators with the Catholic Women Organization (CWO) to eliminate violence and discrimination against Women and Girls in Nigeria,” funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
The seminar shed light on the crucial role of the Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI), an NGO established in 1999 and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of Nigeria. As Mr. Samuel Akorokpor, the seminar’s facilitator, detailed, CWSI holds significant international standing, including consultation status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations and affiliation with the UN Department of Global Communication. It also has Equivalency Determination of the United States of America.
CWSI operates as a non-profit and non-partisan initiative of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ), a congregation of women religious founded in Calabar, Nigeria, in 1931 by Mother Mary Charles Magdalene Walker. Mother Walker’s profound vision was centered on empowering women and the girl-child through education, inspiration, and the promotion of their dignity and human rights. The formation of CWSI by Rev. Sr. Ngozi Frances Uti, HHCJ, was a direct continuation of this foundational commitment to human development.
Dismantling Discrimination and Empowering the Vulnerable
CWSI’s strategic focus is unequivocally clear: to conduct studies and implement interventions that dismantle unjust systems discriminating against and marginalizing vulnerable individuals, irrespective of their gender, race, creed, or status. A primary objective is the elimination of violence against women and girls. This is achieved by actively challenging and deconstructing the deeply ingrained cultural, social, political, religious, and economic barriers and stereotypes that impede their rights, liberty, and freedom.
Since its inception, CWSI has successfully conceived and implemented numerous humanitarian projects funded by national and international donor agencies. These initiatives span various critical sectors, including:
- Gender/Protection
- Good Governance
- Agriculture
- Climate Change/Peacebuilding initiatives
- Food Security and Livelihood
- Migration
- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH)
- Education
The organization boasts a highly experienced and diverse staff, comprising both male and female experts, complemented by an astute Board of Trustees from various disciplines.
CWSI’s impact is far-reaching, with a beneficiary database exceeding 5,000,000 individuals, both direct and indirect, experiencing significant, life-changing improvements across most geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Committed to expanding its reach, CWSI actively seeks new partnerships and additional funding to further its vital mission.
Strengthening Capacity and Breaking the Silence
The collaborative project, which officially commenced on June 1, 2025, and will run until May 31, 2026, is specifically designed to:
- Strengthen the capacity of Women Religious working with diverse communities, empowering them to advocate effectively for the elimination of violence and discrimination against women and girls.
- Empower women and girls to end the “culture of silence” that enables the perpetration of violence and discrimination.
- Encourage more women who are victims of violence to speak out.
- Build a strong network of Women Religious and women, particularly from the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), enabling them to present their challenges and propose solutions to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
The project will involve crucial inter-generational dialogues and advocacy visits to key stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders, village chiefs, and members of various community groups (men, women, and youth) to formulate bylaws aimed at protecting women and girls.
Targeted Impact and Strategic Objectives
The project will target two Ecclesiastical Provinces in Nigeria: Abuja Province (specifically Lafia and Makurdi) and Benin Province (Benin and Issele Uku).
The overarching strategic objective is to increase advocacy to end violence against women and girls in the Abuja and Benin Ecclesiastical Provinces.
This will be achieved through two key outputs:
Output 1: Strengthen the Capacity of Women Religious and CWO on Advocacy Strategy
- Community entry and stakeholder engagement.
- Baseline data collection to assess awareness of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and protection issues.
A 2-day Capacity Building Training (Training of Trainers) for 30 participants.
- Step-down training, a 2-day Capacity Building Training for an additional 20 participants.
Output 2: Conduct Intergenerational Dialogue (IGD) Activities
A 3-day Intergenerational Dialogue for 75 participants (comprising 25 men, 25 women, and 25 youth).
- A 1-day Intergenerational Dialogue for 30 selected participants (10 men, 10 women, and 10 youth).
- Community sensitization for 80 persons.
- Quarterly advocacy visits.
- Regular monitoring activities.
- Preparation and submission of quarterly reports to partners and donors.
- Conducting an online survey and documenting findings.
Expected Outcomes: A Ripple Effect of Change
The project anticipates several impactful achievements:
Enhanced capacity of Women Religious to speak up, speak out, and intervene on issues of violence and discrimination against women, and to proffer solutions that prevent, address, redress, or create an enabling environment for survivors to access justice.
ncreased sensitization among members of the church and community regarding violence and discrimination against women and girls.
Increased networking and collaboration between Women Religious and members of the Catholic Women Organization (CWO) to take concrete action, including advocacy and awareness creation in both church and community settings, to end violence against women and girls.
Increased multi-stakeholder support within the church and community to end violence and discrimination against women and girls.
During his welcome speech at the Introductory Meeting for Stakeholders Ecclesiastical Province Engagement, Rev. Fr. Benedict Onwugbenu, the Executive Director of JDPC Benin, eloquently articulated the shared purpose of the initiative. He extended heartfelt gratitude to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for funding this vital project and to CWSI for their unwavering commitment.
“We are gathered here with a shared purpose—to affirm and advance our collective responsibility to end all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls,” Father Onwugbenu stated. “This is not just a programmatic goal—it is a moral imperative and a spiritual calling deeply rooted in our values of justice, compassion, and human dignity.”
He emphasized that today’s meeting served as a crucial platform to deliberate on project activities, understand goals, and outline strategies.
Father Onwugbenu stressed the essential and inspiring nature of active participation from all stakeholders, from the pulpit to the grassroots, and from civil society to traditional institutions. He concluded by encouraging all participants to engage with open hearts, listen with empathy, and speak with courage, affirming, “Together, let us be the change that liberates, uplifts, and heals.”