Nigeria chapter
- Abuja-FCT, Nigeria (6 Geopolitical zones of the country comprising of 36 States)
The Side-by-Side Movement, Nigeria was established in 2018 as an inter-faith initiative which aims to foster an inclusive society where Gender Justice is upheld. The movement works with religious and traditional leaders to influence social norms through advocacy, education and actions that challenge harmful practices and norms which perpetuate gender inequality. The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) has served as its national secretariat from inception, with support from Christian Aid and Ford Foundation.
Vision
To see all people free from cultural and interpersonal systems of privilege and oppression, and from violence and repression rooted in gender inequality.
Mission
To work with faith and traditional leaders to advance gender justice through advocacy, education and action to challenge and transform norms that perpetuate gender inequality.
Highlights of Key Activities or Programs
Annual Transformative Gender Justice Conferences, state policy dialogues and advocacy visits to advocate for policies and legal frameworks that protect the rights of women and girls.
- Every year, the SBS with support from Christian Aid Nigeria and Centre LSD and in collaboration with partners, hosts a Transformative Gender Justice Conference to galvanise support and strengthen commitments to inclusivity, as exemplified by the participation of diverse stakeholders such as faith leaders, policymakers, and gender justice advocates. This broad coalition underscores the conference’s dedication to fostering collaborative efforts in advancing gender justice.
- On the 25th of March 2025, the SBS expanded its network of faith and traditional leaders campaigning against gender injustice through strategic collaborations with Action Aid Nigeria, Plan International and the National Coalition on Ending Child Marriage to hold the 4th edition of the Transformative Gender Justice Conference in Abuja Nigeria. The collaboration convened a large number of FTLs to join voices to amplify the challenges, assess progress and identify opportunities towards the domestication and effective implementation of the Maputo Protocol in Nigeria
16 Days of Activism (25th Nov.- 10th Dec.): Mobilising communities and civic actors to challenge harmful gender norms and practices through Gender walks.
On the 25th of November 2024, the Side-by-Side movement in Nigeria with support from the CODE 1 funding marked the 16 Days of Activism by mobilizing citizens for “A Symbolic Orange Day Gender Justice Walk,’ and issuing press statements across 10 states to amplify growing gender-based violence concerns and build solidarity for eliminating violence against women and girls. In the Federal Capital (FCT), the SBS joined the National Assembly and Gender Justice Community in Nigeria on an advocacy walk to the Police Force Headquarters to raise public awareness on the need to address violence against women in the country and to demand expedited action on backlog of and subsequent GBV cases.
Launch of the National Strategy (2025-2029) for the Side-by-Side Movement for Gender Justice, Nigeria
In its dedication to advancing gender justice through advocacy, education, and action, the SBS launched its National 5-year strategy plan document (2025-2029) at the Conference to serve as a blueprint for addressing gender inequalities and empowering faith and traditional leaders to transform societal norms in Nigeria.
Join Us
We would love to speak with you.
Feel free to reach out using the below details.
Contact Person
- Pst. Offiong Enang/Mr. Essien Nyong (SBS Nigeria Secretariat Coordinators)
Phone
- +234 812 463 8252
- +234 904 643 1363
Leadership Team
- National Co-chair (Christian): Bishop Favour Okokon
- National Vice Co-Chair (Muslim): Hajiya Mariam Dogondaji
- National Vice Co-chair (Christian): Mrs. Leah Solomon
- National Secretary: Dr. Orinya Agbaji Orinya
