North East Regional Initiative: A Lasting Legacy

The two-year, three-state program emphasized issues that mattered most to women and girls. For example, it partnered with the Borno and Yobe Ministries of Women’s Affairs to provide hundreds of women — many of whom were widows — with access to farmland and expanded irrigation, which had a tremendous effect on household income and stability. Among its achievements, NERI created Women for Peace Platforms that brought women together and strengthened their social connections through biweekly facilitated discussions on issues such as gender-based violence, hygiene and security. Implemented in seven municipalities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the platforms organized women into clusters and provided strategic support that ultimately expanded their influence as decision-makers and community advocates. The Women for Peace Platforms also created a sense of solidarity among the women who united to improve their communities. Particularly important in conflict areas, these social connections bolstered the women’s psychosocial well-being, which has been damaged by years of conflict. More than 90% of participants reported that their sense of well-being improved after the program. NERI further invested significantly in three girls high schools in Maiduguri, supporting the creation of a book club and organizing a sports tournament to promote young women’s leadership and empowerment. The program also renovated the girls school libraries and toilet facilities. Perceptions of women and girls shifted as a result of the entire portfolio of targeted programming, both among the participants and across the wider communities. An independent study NERI conducted found that expectations about women’s ability to tackle community problems such as food insecurity, sexual violence and education increased after the program. Overall, the program directly benefited nearly 21,000 women and girls with improved livelihoods, higher self-esteem and greater feelings of empowerment.

NERI organized two major activities to improve the psychosocial welfare of women who have been victims of traumatic experiences. They were aimed at helping women to heal and to become community caregivers. Here, a group member offers comfort during a psychosocial capacity-building event organized for women in Dikwa LGA, Borno State. PHOTO BY SAFER WORLD FOUNDATION NERI held a two-day dialogue with women in Monguno and Maiduguri LGAs to foster stronger, more sustainable and more trusting relationships between the women and security officers. The two groups, comprised of 30 female community members each, met with Police Gender Desk officers. PHOTO BY PARTNERS WEST AFRICA NIGERIA

10 | NORTH EAST REGIONAL INITIATIVE: A LASTING LEGACY

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