ALF Centre for Gender Equality and Research

In other to provide strategically planned and executed research that takes into account women and gender issues which will in turn lead to more effective and sustainable development policies and programmes. ACGEQ continually conducts various research at both local and continent level on how to advance women’s rights in all sectors including but not limited to; health, leadership and political participation, and economic empowerment.

Current / Recent Project Activities

1. Research on Social Investment Priority of Africans in the Context of COVID-19 and Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) (2021)

ALF in partnership with OXFAM Pan African Program (OI-PAP) conducted a study in Fifteen (15) African Countries to identify social investment priority areas that can form basis for future advocacy with the African Union Regional Economic Communities (AU RECs) and other stakeholders in terms of recognition and reduction of heavy Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) within the African Economy.

2. Development And Creation Of The Maputo Protocol Scorecard And Index (MPSI)

The ALF working in collaboration with Plan International and the African Union Commission – Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (AUC-WGYD) developed a monitoring and evaluation tool for the Additional Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) called the Maputo Protocol Scorecard and Index (MPSI).

The MPSI is a useful tool that enables Member States to measure their progress in the implementation of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) Agenda. It also provides advocacy opportunity and feedback channels that give room for improvement in the implementation of the Protocol.

3. Solemn Declaration of Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) Report

The ALF contributed immensely to the drafting and advocacy document on gender equality in Africa which culminated in the creation of the Solemn Declaration of Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) adopted by the Head of States and Government of the African Union in 2004. In 2014 the ALF developed the Solemn Declaration Index (SDI) Framework which is a tool used in measuring countries’ adherence and compliance to gender equality statutes among African countries. This framework is used in generating the SDGEA report.

ALF in partnership with the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Network has consistently produced performance analysis report of AU member States in their implementation of SDGEA. This report usually covers MS 3 years SDGEA implementation activities.

Past Project Activities

1. ALF and the Empowering Women in Agriculture Project (2018-2019):

ALF in liaison with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development FMARD conducted a baseline study on Women in Agriculture in Nigeria. ALF was also called upon by EWA to complete a survey on the involvement of women in the agricultural value chain in Nigeria, in preparation for the EWA breakfast meeting scheduled for Saturday, February 9th, 2019, at the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.

2. Study Tour of Public Health Facilities of Maternal Health Services Programme (2010)

ALF in collaboration with the Development Research and Projects Centre (DRPC), organised a study tour and knowledge sharing platform for 20 health administrators from 7 Northern States of Nigeria. The tour was to expose participants to best practice, effective models and policies as well as success stories of how states and some LGAs are able to implement sustainable maternal health programs which incorporate family planning servicesD

The center has been structured to organize periodic policy dialogues with stakeholders, experts, professionals, and policymakers at both local and continental levels for the purpose of policy review and reformation on gender issues at all levels using various approaches to identify gaps and provide recommendations for the promotion of gender equality and women’s rights.

Current/Recent Projects

1.  Capacity Building on the Utilisation of Maputo Protocol Scorecard and Index (MPSI) Framework for Effective Reporting by the AU Member-States.

Following the adoption of the Maputo Protocol Scorecard and Index (MPSI) by the African Union Assembly during the 40^th Summit in 2022 and the resources provided by Plan International- African Union Liaison Office (PLAN-AULO) and the African Union Commission – Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (AUC-WGYD), the implementation of the MPSI commenced with a Capacity Building Programme (CBP).

The CBP was conducted for ten (10) AU- Member States (Republic of Cameroon, Republic of Ethiopia, Republic of Ghana, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Liberia, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of South Africa, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Zimbabwe) and took place in Nairobi, Kenya between Monday June 13^th and Friday June 17^th, 2022.

2.  Engagement with Pan-African Writers’ Association (PAWA) to promote UCDW Campaign in Africa.

In January 2023, The ALF in collaboration with the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA) under the leadership of Secretary-General Dr ‘Wale Okediran held an Advocacy Workshop on,” The role of writers and the media in advocating for the reduction of heavy Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) on women in Africa”. The workshop drew Forty (40) participants ranging from Writers, Published Authors, Journalists, TV/Radio Broadcasters and Media Experts drawn from 11 Sub-Saharan African Countries. The key recommendations from the workshop are;

1. 1. The incorporation of UCDW into African Literature by Writers to promote the concept of UCDW in a simplified manner in different African dialects;
   2. That Media Houses and Writers Increase advocacy on Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) through different approaches including but not limited to, documentaries, television soap operas, radio jingles, articles, talk shows, short stories, posters, leaflets, short plays/ movies(especially on new media platforms/internet) etc. sharing stories that enlighten people on UCDW, its negative impact on gender equality and women’s empowerment and how it is being addressed and;
   3. The Africa Leadership Foundation in collaboration with the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA) and OXFAM Pan African Program (OI-PAP) should organise a Continental Writers Competition on the reduction of UCDW on women in Africa as part of the WE-CARE Phase V in collaboration with Africa Leadership Foundation and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).

3.  Regional Dialogues on Positive Masculinity and Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW)

In 2022, the ALF in partnership with OXFAM Pan-African Program (OI-PAP) organised two regional dialogues;

a. First Regional Dialogue with Youths And Youth-Led Organisations:

The first dialogue titled, “Youth, Positive Masculinity and Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW)” was held on Monday 19th September 2022 with Ninety (90) participants from 15 countries of the continent. The major recommendations drawn from the dialogue are;

1. 1. The need for the urgent inclusivity of African Youth in the popularization and advocacy of the 5R Frameworks (Recognition, Reduction, Redistribution, Representation and Reward) to address heavy Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) in Africa;
   2. African Government should prioritize investment in social services such as the provision of clean water and sanitation, clean energy, vocational training, and public transport; and in social infrastructure, such as care services and health services, which will reduce the heavy burden of women involved in care and domestic work;
   3. An annual dialogue with Youths and Youth-Led Organisations to discuss current issues around the reduction of Heavy Unpaid Care and Domestic Work and elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG).

b. Second Regional Dialogue with Women and Women-Led Organisations:

The second regional dialogue was titled, “Women, Positive Masculinity and Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW)” held on Monday 10th October 2022 with Sixty-Two (62) participants drawn from Officials of the African Union – Women, Youth and Gender Directorate, Women’s Movement and Networks, CSOs, NGOs, CBOs, Development Partners, GEWE Experts, and other Stakeholders. The two major recommendations from the dialogue are;

1. 1. 1. Member States should recognise unpaid care work at the national policy level and consider it as a central activity for well-being to be redistributed between men and women, as well as between the family and the State. States’ failures to provide, regulate and fund domestic and care formal services increase the burden for communities, families and especially women;
      2. Creation of initiatives by Member States to completely eradicate toxic masculinity which transcends national borders, age, generations, and ideas of race and ethnicity, and replace them with positive masculinity to promote a culture of human rights, to promote gender-equitable behaviours, to teach boys and men different methods of resolving conflict that does not resort to notions of masculinity, violence, and pride.

These recommendations were brought forward to the 2nd CSO’s Consultative Meeting on the Heads Of State Conference on Positive Masculinity. It was also presented at the Second African Union Heads of States Conference on Positive Masculinity themed “Advancing actions and promoting positive masculinity to end violence against women and girls” held on 10th November 2022, in Dakar, Senegal and; reflected in one of the five key areas on interventions presented by H.E President Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and the 2022 AU Chairperson. Click here to read the Conference Outcome Document

4.  Strategic Advocacy for Accountability on Improved Maternal Health in Africa

The MSD for Mothers (MfM), in collaboration with the Gender is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) network at the wake of the pandemic in 2020, launched the GIMAC MATERNAL HEALTH INITIATIVE (GMaHI) to support and promote a strategic engagement for national and regional advocacy aimed at accelerated action for maternal and neonatal mortality reduction in Africa to meet Aspiration 1.3 of the Agenda 2063 and SDG 3.1 target (which is to reduce the maternal mortality rate below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030). This project is being implemented by the Africa Leadership Foundation (ALF) and Femme Africa Solidarite (FAS).

The first phase of the Regional Advocacy Project was implemented by engaging Maternal Health Stakeholders and Policymakers in Nigeria, Senegal and at the African Union level in five (5) different virtual dialogues which serves as a platform to inform regional, National and Sub-National maternal health decision-makers about the challenges of maternal health care system in Nigeria, Senegal, and Africa.

The second phase of the Regional Advocacy project focused primarily on deepening in-country advocacy through field assessment for promising practices, around the major recommendations and outcomes of the first phase in Nigeria, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Kenya. It was evident from the field assessment that the observations and findings cut across all four countries and the African Region at large.

Two major outcomes of the Phase Two project are;

1. 1. Advocacy with the Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) to buy-into the concept of the engaging and linking TBAs/CBAs to the Maternal Health Care System due to the obvious negative implications of eliminating TBAs/CBAs on maternal health.
   2. Passage of the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance (MPDSR) Bill by the Nigerian National Assembly in 2022

Past Projects

1. Gender Mainstreaming and Development Planning Workshop

ALF organized a Gender Mainstreaming and Development Planning Workshop for the Senior and Middle management staff of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. The workshop objectives were to: Sensitise participants on gender concepts and the effect of gender on social relationships between women and men; Build the capacity of staff to appreciate and identify gender gaps in projects planning and conception stages; Strengthen programming skills to appropriately mainstream gender into programme planning for community development. The workshop methodologies: included case studies, brainstorming, plenary discussions, power-point and flip chart presentation, group work, etc.

2. Nigerian Women Peace Group (NAWOPEG):

The ALF in collaboration with Shell Petroleum Development Corporation organised the National Women Peace Congress. A major outcome of the congress was the inauguration of a National Women Peace Group, a Nigerian women’s initiative on peace management and conflict resolution. The NAWOPEG was engaged in a nationwide campaign against violence as Nigeria prepared to transit from one civil regime to another.

Another outcome of the congress was the organisation of a 4-day intensive training programme on ‘Conflict Transformation Skills’ for a corps of women mediators, peacebuilders, and conflict managers drawn from a cross-section of the various networks of the political class, the organised private sector, professional bodies, civil society organisations and religious institutions across the country.

3. Africa Women’s Forum- Cape Town (1998)

ALF convened the first meeting of the African Women’s Forum, in collaboration with Akin Mama wa Afrika with the theme “Leadership and Communication for Empowerment”. The major objective of the meeting was to assess, review and evaluate individual and collective progress made since Accra in promoting the participation of women leaders in political and economic development; devise strategies aimed at enhancing the visibility and effective application of the leadership capacity and capability of women in decision making positions and; strengthen the link between women community leaders and gender development professionals. The meeting resolved that the African Women’s Forum should be designed as a space where all different networks come together to discuss and find common ground and can work in collaboration and partnership.

4. Africa Women’s Forum- Abidjan (1999)

The 2nd Africa Women’s Forum convened in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire under the theme, “Improving the Status of Women in Africa; Challenges for the Future”. The major objectives of the meeting were to; identify strategies that could be adopted for broadening the support base for the Index on the Status of women in Africa, as a negotiation platform towards building a critical mass of women leaders in Africa, and for the advancement of women in general; explore methods that could be used for further broadening and deepening the Index on the Status of Women in Africa and; identify possible modalities and strategies for effectively utilising the Index on the Status of Women in Africa as a strong negotiating platform for women and civil society organisations in Africa.

The Index on the Status of women in Africa was presented by Sara Longwe and Roy Clarke, and it was comprehensively reviewed by Mrs Ruth Odhiambo Ochieng, Director, Isis-WICCE, Uganda. The Index was conceived by using existing baseline data as the framework for progressive improvement, which identifies and distinguishes between 23 two composite indicators, to establish women’s level of empowerment in Africa.

5. Africa Women’s Forum- Tunis, Tunisia (2001)

The 3^rd AWF was in collaboration with the African Women’s Committee on Peace and Development (AWCPD), Femme Africa Solidarité (FAS), and the Tunisian Ministry of Women and Family Affairs. The theme of the forum was “Women and Conflict Management in Africa”. The meeting urged all governments that have ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to implement the provisions therein and to further refrain from enacting and applying laws or decrees that suppress women’s rights.

Another crucial subject examined was the problem of discrimination and other evils; issues that also form the focus of the World Conference on Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance in Durban, South Africa. The meeting noted the significant negative impact of discrimination on the conflict in Africa and on African women and called on the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as other African governments to facilitate greater and effective participation by African women in the process.

Finally, references were made to the contributions of women in conflict management and the meeting was regarded as a starting point in celebrating the accomplishments of African women in different parts of Africa. The valiant contributions of African women in the various peace processes in Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Eritrea, the Mano River Union (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea) as well as other parts of Africa were recognised and celebrated.

6. Africa Women’s Forum – Ota

The 4th Africa Women’s Forum was held at the Secretariat of ALF, Ota, Nigeria between 3rd – 5th February 2002. The theme was “African Women and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)”. The conference was a joint initiative of the Africa Leadership Foundation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). It drew an array of distinguished women, among whom were ministers, women in strategic positions in the civil society organisations, the international organisations, across Africa, Europe and North America.

The conference focused on the role of women in NEPAD and the need to put the initiative on the right footing. The main NEPAD Document as adopted by the NEPAD Steering Committee Meeting in October 2001 was reviewed, gaps were identified, and recommendations were made.

The outcomes of the conference were also discussed during the African Parliamentarians Meeting, a 3-day Regional Conference for African Parliamentarians on Recent Strategic Development Initiatives in Africa. organised by ALF in April 2002. The conference was convened to discuss the three most recent strategic development initiatives in Africa: the African Union (AU), the Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa (CSSDCA) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to create broad-based awareness among African parliamentarians as well as mobilize them for effective participation in the implementation of the initiatives.

7. Africa Women’s Forum – Abuja

The 5^th Annual Africa Women’s Forum was held in Abuja, Nigeria. The theme was “Leadership Challenges of Women in the Campaign against HIV/AIDS”. The meeting was in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Action-Aid Africa Office, United Agency for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the National Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (NACA). The conference convened to elaborate on the need to expand the space of engagement of women within the policy framework that has been adopted to contain the continued spread of HIV/AIDS. It was also convened to initiate and develop strategies that will assist women from across the continent to adequately take the leadership required in curbing the pandemic among women and girls.

These various research and projects generated the following publications:

1. 1. 2002: Women and Peace in Nigeria: Strategy for Sustainable Development
   2. 2002: Regional Conference for African Parliamentarians on Recent Strategic Development Initiatives in Africa.
   3. 2001: Farm House Dialogue -Women, Youths and Good Governance.
   4. 1998: Africa Women’s Forum – Communication and Leadership for Empowerment
   5. 1997: Africa Women’s Forum – Empowering Women for the 21st Century: The Challenges of Politics, Business, Development, and Leadership
   6. 1993: Margaret Ekpo: Lioness in Nigerian Politics

In addition to the various programs and projects highlighted above, women have been beneficiaries of other programs of the foundation such as;

1. Entrepreneurship Training for SMEs and MSMEs:

The Entrepreneurship Development Centre of ALF was established to provide business advisory services, entrepreneurship training and access to funding for start-ups and existing businesses with an overall aim of reducing unemployment and tackling poverty in Nigeria. During the first and second phase of the training (2008 – 2017) with funding from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Oyo State Government (OYOSG) over 14,800 women were trained with access to credit from different financial institutions and private individuals.

Through the Agri-business Small Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) introduced by the government, ALF has continuously trained over 2,000 women of different social strata across 7 states of the Federation (Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo States) between 2018 and 2021.

2. Democratic Leadership Training Workshops (DLTW)

Between 2000 and 2006, ALF organised the DLTW in Nigeria targeted at young adults (female and male) between the ages of 18 and 40, who are professionals, members of CBOs, NGOs, CSOs and youth unions who possess demonstrable leadership qualities and who are in critical positions of influence and over 250 women participated in the workshops.

3. Parliamentary Support Programme (PSP) (2010-2013)

The PSP was instituted in support of the development of sustainable democratic institutions and promotion of good governance in Nigeria and Africa at large. With support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria, ALF organised 12 workshops on Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation; Public Security and Safety; Agriculture and Rural Development; Gender Mainstreaming and budgeting; Health Delivery Systems; Water and Sanitation; Youth Development; Technology and National Development and Human Capital Development. Over 65 women who were staff of State Assemblies participated in the workshop.

The widespread of COVID-19 has resulted in a more digitally focused world and, the growing digital gender divide shows that men will benefit disproportionately to women since they have greater access. Harnessing this technology to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment is not only vital for the empowerment of women and girls but contributes to achievement of Aspiration 1.2 of the Africa Union Agenda 2063 and the UN SDGs, helping close the digital gender gap in education.

Below are programs projects centred on promoting digital literacy, building and improving the capacity of women and girls in using ICT tools that will eventually improve their employability skills, learning abilities and, increasing and improving their livelihood thus reducing their level of poverty.

1. Computer Literacy Training for Young Girls in Ibadan, Nigeria:

The digital divide between boys and girls in Nigeria is a persistent and growing problem. Girls are less likely to have access to technology, including computers and the internet, than boys. This can have a negative impact on their education, career prospects, and overall life chances.

In a bid to close the gap, the ALF organised a three days free Girls Tech/Computer Literacy training targeted at Secondary School Students, Girls awaiting admission into a tertiary Institution and Girls in their first year in University. The training provided the participants with hands-on experience using computers, as well as an understanding of basic computer concepts, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Using the internet and creating and sending electronic mail (E-Mail). It is a first of its kind training initiative and subsequent training will be conducted in the course of the year.