Activism, My Way

Lucy Abagi April 1, 2022 2

Activism is a vigorous action channel to create a change or shift in policies. Activism is a process not just an action, it consists of different actions. When there needs to be a change in a system, activism is always the medium for change. Using Nigeria as a case study, Nigeria has moved from different phases of policies and changes and one very active medium of these changes has been Activism. You are often not ready to make a change if you are not an activist. 

Activism can be carried out in different ways depending on the issues and the effects or impact it wants to create. Let us look at a few of them that can be used in our daily activities.

TYPES OF ACTIVISM

  1. Self Advocacy: This is a one-man-led action designed to effectively communicate one’s interest, desires, or rights.
  2. Group Advocacy: This is a structured action or set of activities involving a group of people with common interest and desires channeled at influencing public policies and laws. 
  3. Citizen Driven Advocacy: Enables people within a specific local community to amplify their voices and make decisions on diverse social issues that affect their lives.

Activism is a legal medium or process to change policies and laws. In the case of Nigeria, I have deployed citizen-driven advocacy to effect communal social change as a development worker. Let me share my experiences with you in my journey as a citizen advocate.

Nigeria is a great nation, but millions of its citizens cannot resonate with the reality of a failed country. As there are no reasons why over 86 percent of its gifted population live below #500 ($1). Nigeria is a wealthy nation, but hunted by the inability to be intentional with its selection of leaders to preside and manage the enormous natural and human resources. Every election year we are overpowered by the same reality of sticking to leaders who have lost their conscience and lack the capacity to ensure equality of access to basic social amenities. 

Young men and women have raised their voices in different aspects of protest. The most recent was the #Endsars Protest. This protest was properly organized without any form of violence and deep in my heart, I desired that the voices of youths would be heard. 

For over a week, the movement received fortifications and support. We were as close as our minds convinced us that we were. Our youths were ready to change the narratives until our leaders killed and smashed our hopes. Nailing the future of its youth population bulge on the pillars of the Nigerian Flag. 

As a development worker, I have avoided the media platform because of spontaneous inner anger that is driven by series of field interventions that I have engaged in, having actively participated in and led about 200 development campaigns across 8 Africa countries and over 200 rural communities, gathering first-hand data on massive inequality and human deprivation of basic social amenities and thus an opportunity to air my view on any media platform be it radio or TV will result in an explosive rant. Anger lies in the bosom of every Nigerian citizen. 

No matter how secure you are, the crippling state of the Nigerian system catches up with you either directly or indirectly. Most households have lost lives to poor health care services, stray bullets have killed countless uprising talents.  

Education which is expected to be the hope and foundation for building a sustainable and globally competitive nation has been denied the growing mass of young people in Nigeria.

Women taking Action Against GBV in Nigeria

With a deep-seated passion to drive change at all levels, especially across marginalized communities, I channeled my anger into finding solutions by designing programs to support diverse initiatives in order to cushion the effect of poor leadership, accountability and transparency across communities in Nigeria and Africa. 

As part of citizen-driven advocacy strategy, I deploy program design skills to strategically map out guidelines that project and frame an idea into tiny segments that will aid the timely achievement of the project impact within agreed cost. As simple as this may sound, this takes a lot of ideation and design thinking protocols. Most innovative people lack this skill and usually have a broad result that they seek to achieve without a well charted out step by step approach. 

It also incorporates project implementation and decision-making skills. From experience, I have learnt that decision-making is the most valuable skill for every project manager. To successfully design result-oriented programs, It is important to acquire a project management skill that will comprehensively provide you with hands-on experience in other relatable fields.

One major way to advocate for change beyond participating in organized protest is for every Nigerian youth and citizen to be actively involved in casting one’s vote during elections. Voting is a vital right an individual enjoys as a citizen of a community, goes a long way to influence the leadership positions across communities.

“Activism, My Way” is a series that is designed to share with you my journey as a development worker, how I have successfully designed and implemented over 20 development projects, how I strive to live a balanced life, as a working wife and mother, how I stay fit and sane while contributing my quota to changing the world. 

In my follow-up articles, I will take you through my design processes including implementation and field experiences with accompanying human angle stories from benefiting communities. 

Everyone at every point in time needs to get involved in activism whether at personal or citizen level to effect change in their lives and communities. I look forward to hearing from you on how you have become an activist. 

Source: social care institute for excellence

*** Lucy Jamess Abagi is a passionate and result-oriented Fundraiser, Development Programmer and Innovator. Over the last five years, she has gathered vast layers of experience in managing diverse development programs,  bid writing, responding to diverse solicitations by international donor agencies and writing winning proposals. 

Twitter- @lucydavis2021

Instagram- @LucyJamesAbagi

LinkedIn-@LucyJamesAbagi

Facebook – @LucyJamesAbagi

LETTER TO A MALE CHAMPION ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Communications March 21, 2022 0

Dear Friends,

In 2017, I challenged myself and other sisters to do two things on every International Women’s Day (IWD): celebrate a sister whose strength has borne you through the years, and write an open letter of affirmation to one male champion who has been a firm handhold and foothold in this journey through life. In the year that he will celebrate his 60th birthday, (born on 18 December 1962), I am celebrating Salihu Mohammed Lukman (SML), my husband, and a role-model life partner for a feminist like me. I wish him happiness on this IWD.

Where have the years gone? I know: they went into the making of us. SML and I have known each other forever 30 years, 26 of which we have been married. Over the years, we have encouraged each other to be better versions of ourselves. We have argued, debated, and disagreed, too. How boring would life be without the spats! But weal was resolved, in the end, to solve our issues by ourselves.

SML has taught me that there is no easy way to be a good man. It takes effort and the consciousness of what is the better road to travel. It also takes acknowledgment of one’s mistakes and keeping one’s pledges to do better.

We have matured together from our ‘okada’ riding days. Our many milestones include our first homes, our first child, and our first degrees. Through it, all, our friendship and common values have grown stronger. SML is a stellar feminist spouse.

They ask what do feminists want in a marital relationship? Well, not too much. Feminists treasure husbands and partners who let us be us. We want our spouses to toughen us and help us negotiate better and walk in our own paths. So doing, they enable us to conquer obstacles and discover new horizons and achieve beyond what we had imagined.

Feminists love spouses that do not feel threatened by our success. When sometimes they tell us maybe you should not do that, we do anyway. Sometimes we are right and at some other times, they are right. Regardless of who is right, our mutual respect endures.

We love spouses who seethe gem in us and don’t allow religion, ethnicity, race, or age to be a barrier to the expression of our love. Such spouses listen to our advocacy; they understand that what we want is a better society and a better world–not only for ourselves but also for our children and generations unborn.

Our husbands are our most important partners. While much of society, including some of those elected to protect women, still struggle to grapple with apparent or nuanced gendered relationships, our husbands love and respect us, appreciate our openness, and want us to succeed. They demonstrate their support in the place that matters most: our home–where they don’t see it as odd to cook for us, bath the children, and change a diaper as occasions demand.

In the spirit of this partnership, feminist wives know it is alright to spend our income on the family. It is no business of outsiders how we make ends meet at home. Who buys the bread and who pays the rent are unimportant to the partnership. What are important are equity, fairness, friendship, and solidarity?

If you are male and wondering how to be a happy man, know that masculinity can also oppress you. In moments when you need to let out the emotions and cry, society may prevent you from enjoying the health derivable from doing so because you are a man. Sometimes your humanity may be at stake when you need to pick up your own plate, lay your bed, cook for your own family, but you don’t because you don’t want to be called a woman wrapper. ‘But it is alright for a man to cry, care for his family, and share in the household chores. In any case, when you were born, you were wrapped in a woman’s wrapper as your mother cuddled you and gave you your first experience of life’s nurture

In closing, I would like to speak to when a feminist is married to an activist I am. SML speaks truth to power. Through his many open letters, he gives power to truth. I may sometimes worry about the letters and quibble over their timing, but I always understand the principle and the logic being expressed without trepidation. Through their thoughts, our teachers and mentors had raised us on their shoulders to have a clear view of the world; they prepared us to navigate the labyrinth that is life. Whether working from within or from without, we are change-makers. SML and I will always strive to positively impact our world.

I would like to affirm my husband for embodying these values and to say, with love, Happy 60th Year, in advance. Allah ya ja kwana. (I pray that his life is long) and continues to be a beacon of hope and courage and a powerful symbol of possibility for the many watching, including our children. Happy International Women’s Day 2022 to you all.

Amina Salihu

08 March 2022

Gender Equality Today For A Sustainable Tomorrow
#BreakTheBias

CODE Gender Policy

Communications March 17, 2022 2

The Gender Policy represents CODE’s commitment towards gender equality. The Gender Policy provides guidance on how Connected Development (CODE) intends to mainstream gender equality, equity, and social justice in organizational practices, policy formation, campaigns, project development and implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The policy is based on the human rights-based approach that seeks to improve the rights of children, women, and men to ensure full participation and equal benefits from democratic processes. The human rights-based approach focuses on those who are marginalized, excluded, or discriminated against. Read More

Breaking the Bias by taking Climate Action; These women top the list 

Ijeoma March 8, 2022 3

A puzzling question is how does one commemorate this day of great importance which highlights and advances the work women around the world have done towards achieving gender equality?

The answer is not quite straightforward but this year’s unique theme (Break The Bias) unequivocally sparks great strides in recognizing the utmost importance of equality today for a sustainable tomorrow. This speaks to advancing conversation on gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction. Currently, women are underrepresented in the decision-making process on environmental governance. This leaves women at a disadvantage as they should be equally represented in decision-making structures to allow them to contribute their unique and valuable perspectives and expertise on climate change. The United Nations (UN) have published a fact sheet named Women, Gender Equality and Climate Change discussing the matter, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a report called Gender, Climate Change and Health that also addresses the way gender inequality interacts with climate issues.

A large number of rights are impacted by climate change. These include the right to life, right to clean water, right to health, right to food and the right to self-determination. Since women already struggle with human rights issues more than men, climate change exacerbates these problems and creates further gender inequalities.

Understanding that climate change is not only an environmental issue but also one of social justice, industrial and economic reform, women’s rights, poverty and development, trade and commerce, and indigenous rights, it is important to remember, however, that women are not only vulnerable to climate change but they are also effective actors or agents of change in relation to both mitigation and adaptation.

I have been fortunate to be surrounded and observant of powerful women and girls who have channelled their time and resources in promoting equality in their various fields of work. These women not only champion causes that promote women’s rights, but adequately work towards adaptation and  mitigating climate change in Nigeria. 

As the world marks International Women’s day today,  I choose to bring to fore these three women who have magically walked the talk and have a strong body of knowledge and expertise that can be used in climate change mitigation, disaster reduction and adaptation strategies. 

Esther Agbarakwe

Esther Agbarakwe

Fondly called ‘Estherclimate’ by her peers founded the Nigerian Youth Climate Coalition (NYCC) after returning from Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in 2009, where she led the Nigerian youth delegation. She has worked with remarkable leaders like Desmond Tutu, Mary Robinson and Gro Harlem Brundtland, among several others, to advocate for meaningful involvement and participation of youth in development especially in the formulation and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In 2009, Agbarakwe was awarded the Dekeyser & Friends Foundation Leadership Award in Germany. She was selected as a 2010 Women Deliver 100 Young Leaders and became a Commonwealth Youth Climate Fellow in November 2010. In 2012, she participated in the UNICEF supported debate on Climate Change where she advocated for the right of young people to lend their voice to the conversation. In 2015, she joined the Guardian conversation on ways to powerfully communicate climate change solutions. On the sidelines of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, she alongside other Nigeria Climate Change Activists met with the Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari where they made a case for the value young people are bringing to the conversation. Ms. Agbarakwe is also co-founder of Climate Wednesday, a notable youth platform on environment issues that seeks to build a climate generation across Africa. Esther’s body of work can be seen to have spanned over two decades and while it seems like mitigation of climate change progress is minute, she lights hope that sustainability is essential for sustainable development.

Hyeladzira James Mshelia

Zira, our very own resident environmentalist, as all environmental related projects and climate change discussions are always channelled to her for active participation and coordination.

Zira is a programs Associate at Connected Development with technical and programmatic management skills in designing and implementing gender equality, environmental and climate-related projects, policy influencing, and WASH campaigns in Africa.

Hyeladzira has a Bachelor’s degree (B.SC) in Environmental Biology which she has used to develop targeted programs/ interventions on environmental sustainability and climate action. Passionate about promoting the culture of environmental Sustainability in Nigeria and West Africa to achieve SDGs 13, 14, and 15,  Hyeladzira is responsible for spearheading the activities of  Earth Hour yearly. She is part of the  Climate Reality Leadership Corps,  a global network of activists and influencers who advocate for climate crisis and justice. She is a member of the World Economic Forum; a Global Shaper with the Abuja hub where she is the grants manager and co-chairs the “Abuja Dialogue Series” aimed at policy development from community/stakeholder engagement, mobilization, and dialogue.

She was a delegate at the Nigerian International Secondary Schools Model United Nations (NISSMUN) Conference were as a representative of the United Nations representing Slovakia, she deliberated discussed, and debated the country’s adaptation to a recycling-friendly, zero-waste circular economy and how imperative it is for her to sign the Paris Agreement. 

Jennifer Uchendu

Jennifer Uchendu

​​Jennifer Uchendu, a sustainability communicator, analyst, the founder of SustyVibes- an organisation passionate about sustainability and women development in Africa. In 2016, Uchendu founded SustyVibes, a social enterprise making sustainability actionable for young people in Nigeria through projects, products and policies. SustyVibes was born out of the need to create a platform where Nigerian youths can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals through pop-cultural tools like music, photography, movies, tourism etc.

SustyVibes has gained popularity via its innovative projects that engage young people like Susty parties, campus cleanups, street conference, hangouts, eco-tours, movie screenings and trendy online publications – Jennifer has been said to be making sustainability cool in Nigeria; making a case for the advancement of the green economy in Africa. Jennifer believes strongly that women have a critical role to play in ensuring sustainable development in Nigeria.

The importance of gender equality for improved climate outcome is equally crucial that mitigation and adaptation efforts integrate gender issues at all levels. Drawing on women’s experiences, and as we mark this women’s day, it is imperative to note that women’s  knowledge and skills and supporting their empowerment will make climate change responses more effective while vying for a sustainable society.

Fourth Quarter 2021 CODE/FTM report 

Communications March 1, 2022 0

The last quarter of the year 2021 was indeed a rollercoaster. With project managers putting in extra hours to ensure that project deliverables were met in accordance with both internal and external protocol. 

An outstanding loss for the team was the demise of our friend and colleague Alfred Anichi Oji, who until his death was CODE’s Digital Media Officer. Alfred was respected and admired for his enduring commitment and outstanding contributions to the development space and to CODE.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Third Quarter 2021 CODE/FTM report 

Communications March 1, 2022 0

The third quarter of 2021 was in furtherance of CODEs strategic plan. On the journey towards taking hold of governance processes and seeking more accountable systems, we made advancement in education, health, energy, governance sectors through various projects championed by vibrant youths who believe in an inclusive Nigeria for all by creating feedback loops between the people and the government and strengthening systems and communities along the way.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

Second Quarter 2021 Follow The Money Report

Communications March 1, 2022 0

In the first half, We recorded significant results from hosting an audacious COVID Transparency and Accountability Conference to kicking off the tracking of N1.1Bn Kaduna Constituency Projects, to advocating better living standards for residents in Oil-producing states, and working with State Governments to demand an end to GBV. We began this second half of the year on the bedrock of enhancing citizens’ engagement, building partnerships and collaborating with institutions who share in our vision to accelerate timely intervention for marginalised groups.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

 First Quarter 2021 Follow The Money Report

Communications March 1, 2022 2

We kick started the year ready to evolve and expand our work across more African countries, reaching more marginalized communities with the message of Follow The Money. To officially launch the programs and campaigns for the year, we engaged our HQ staff as it is the norm in a 3 days strategic and planning meeting in order to reinforce the organisational goals, build synergy across departments and map out deliverables and engagement strategies for our cohort of volunteers and champions.

READ FULL REPORT HERE

CODE signs MOU with NPHCDA to strengthen health sector accountability

Communications March 1, 2022 0

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Nigeria’s leading civil society organization, Connected Development (CODE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen and foster health sector accountability in Nigeria. 

The MOU is a vital step towards enabling CODE to further expands its tracking and evaluation of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the country, to inform its advocacy in canvassing for improved primary healthcare infrastructure and service delivery.

READ FULL DOCUMENT

CTAP PHASE TWO: BudgIT, CODE launch the second phase of the COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project in Ten African countries.

Communications February 23, 2022 1

BudgIT Foundation and Connected Development (CODE), two prominent civic-tech non-governmental organisations spearheading the advocacy for openness, transparency and accountability in governance, have launched the second phase of the COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project (CTAP), an initiative that seeks to promote accountability and transparency through the tracking of COVID-19 intervention funds across 10 African countries. 

For the first phase of the project, both organisations leveraged their Tracka and Follow The Money (FTM) platforms to address the deeply rooted systemic profiteering culture associated with COVID-19 interventions and ineffective feedback mechanisms for tracking COVID-19 fund disbursements and management across focus countries. The first phase also strengthened civic engagement on COVID-19 response related matters to ensure that targeted governments use COVID-19 funds effectively. 

Building on these successes, the second phase of the project will advocate for improved healthcare funding and address the issues related to vaccine deployment and equitable distribution across focus countries. Both organisations will do this firstly, by conducting research on the post COVID environment, the distribution of health sector resources, the government’s commitment to healthcare funding, vaccine procurement plans and the issues affecting the equitable distribution in Africa, with a special focus on vulnerable groups in terms of commercial activity and socioeconomic status.

According to Oluseun Onigbinde, BudgIT’s Global Director, “This research will set a pathway for identifying the peculiar issues with procurement plans and vaccine distribution, after which we can build partnerships with relevant stakeholders and sectoral leaders to co-create inclusive frameworks and solutions for long-term health sector accountability,”. “We will not only collaborate with governments in focus countries to institute proper and sustainable accountability systems, we will also enhance the COVID-19 Accountability Platform (covidfund.africa) with a digital dashboard that tracks health sector resourcing and accountability approaches” he added.

Beyond collaborations with the government and sectoral leaders, we will also strengthen citizens’ engagement and equip civil society organisations in each focus country on how to prioritise vulnerable communities in their advocacy for improved health care investment.

While speaking on this part of the project, Hamzat Lawal, CODE’s Chief Executive noted that both organisations will mobilise at least 1.7million Africans digitally and offline to monitor emergency funds and demand health sector accountability.

“We will also facilitate dialogue sessions between 36 CSOs and the government to create opportunities for engagement between both parties on improved funding and health sector accountability.” he added

The COVID-19 transparency and accountability project has been instrumental in strengthening COVID-19 fund accountability frameworks and devising strategies that enhance citizen-led advocacy for reforms. We believe that this second phase will leverage existing partnerships with relevant stakeholders, the OGP and Global Health Organisations working on fiscal issues related to COVID-19 fund management and health sector accountability. This project is led by CODE and BudgIT in collaboration with Global Integrity, Oxlade Consulting and primarily funded by Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and Skoll Foundation.