Strengthening Dialogue and Women’s Inclusion Through Monthly Community Engagements

Under the Advancing Gender Equality And Women's Empowerment Through Dialogue Sessions And Social Cohesion (AGEWEDS) in Borno state, executed by ZEGCAWIS under the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection, Participation and Economic Resilience in Northeast Nigeria (SEPIN SUSI) Programme, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and co-funded by the European Union, ZEGCAWIS sustained a series of structured community engagements aimed at strengthening understanding of women’s rights, addressing harmful practices, and promoting inclusive decision-making across target communities. Throughout the three months, ZEGCAWIS engaged traditional and religious leaders through sensitization meetings to ensure their understanding of women’s legal rights and protections, while encouraging their active role in preventing gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices. In parallel, community forums and round-table discussions brought together men, women, youth, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and government authorities to openly examine the impact of harmful norms, including practices contributing to gender inequality and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). These dialogues created safe spaces for honest reflection, collective learning, and community-led solutions. ZEGCAWIS also facilitated dialogue meetings within women’s platforms, providing women with opportunities to discuss socio-economic challenges, rights awareness, and participation in community life. These engagements strengthened women’s confidence and collective voice. To bridge dialogue with action, interface meetings between women’s platforms and local authorities, traditional leaders, and other community stakeholders were convened to advocate for women’s inclusion in community decision-making processes and influence more gender-responsive leadership at the local level. Through these sustained engagements, ZEGCAWIS reinforced the importance of continuous dialogue, accountability, and collaboration in advancing gender equality and building safer, more inclusive communities.