Nigeria

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE)

Civic and political participation

View WISE's website

Introduction

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE) is a non-profit organisation based in Kano State, Nigeria.

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Vision

A society where everyone is able to freely self-determine, self-express and achieve their full potential as equal members irrespective of their gender, sexual identity and orientation.

Who

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality is a radical gender feminist lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ+) organisation, led by young women and girls, defying the odds to amplify voices, step out of the margins and empower community for advocacy and leadership.

Vision

A society where everyone is able to freely self-determine, self-express and achieve their full potential as equal members irrespective of their gender, sexual identity and orientation.

Who

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality is a radical gender feminist lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ+) organisation, led by young women and girls, defying the odds to amplify voices, step out of the margins and empower community for advocacy and leadership.

WISE’s aims and objectives

Summary of work:

Formerly known as Women Action for Gender Equality (WAGE); the name changed to Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE).

WISE is the first non-profit organisation to identify as LBQ+ operating in the core northern region of Nigeria. This region is made up of 19 states and comprises of the northeast, northwest and north-central zones. It is a region that is highly radicalized with the Shariah as one of the operating legal systems.

Under this system, a lesbian or bisexual woman may face caning or stoning to death for engaging in same-sex consenting relationships.

WISE is aware of the security risks and challenges that they face but are determined to provide leadership for the community and empower them to take up leadership roles through the various programs they implement.

Social Workers Trainings
Paralegal Trainings
Young LBQ Women Empowerment Programs
Community Outreaches and Advocacy
Research on Needs Assessment of LBQ Women and Trans People in West Africa and Nigeria (A collaborative work)

Argentina

Botswana

Brazil

Burundi

Chile

Ecuador

Jamaica

Jamaica

Kyrgyzstan

Lesotho

Macedonia

Montenegro

Mozambique

Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria

Peru

South Africa

Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuela

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Argentina

Botswana

Brazil

Burundi

Chile

Ecuador

Jamaica

Jamaica

Kyrgyzstan

Lesotho

Macedonia

Montenegro

Mozambique

Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria

Peru

South Africa

Trinidad and Tobago

Venezuela

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Nigeria

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE)

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE) is a non-profit organisation based in Kano State, Nigeria.

A society where everyone is able to freely self-determine, self-express and achieve their full potential as equal members irrespective of their gender, sexual identity and orientation.

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality is a radical gender feminist lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ+) organisation, led by young women and girls, defying the odds to amplify voices, step out of the margins and empower community for advocacy and leadership.

A society where everyone is able to freely self-determine, self-express and achieve their full potential as equal members irrespective of their gender, sexual identity and orientation.

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality is a radical gender feminist lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ+) organisation, led by young women and girls, defying the odds to amplify voices, step out of the margins and empower community for advocacy and leadership.

WISE’s aims and objectives

Summary of work:

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Related resources

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Sustainable Development Goals and LBT+ inclusion (2021)

Advocacy

Out of the Margins report (2020)

All

Database of recommendations, UPR Info (2019)