Equity Watch Initiative (E-WIN) is a women-led nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing gender equality and empowering adolescent girls in underserved communities across Nigeria. Since its founding in 2020, E-WIN has reached more than 20,000 girls through programs focused on menstrual health, sexual and reproductive health education, educational support, and more. The organization also works with community members—including mothers, boys and men, traditional leaders, and educators—to dismantle harmful gender norms and promote safer, more inclusive environments for girls to thrive.
In Nigeria, particularly in rural areas, adolescent girls face steep challenges in accessing education. Only 36 percent of girls graduate from high school, and more than 50 percent of out-of-school adolescents are girls. Poverty, child marriage, gender-based violence, menstrual stigma, and inadequate access to reproductive health education are among the major barriers. Families often keep girls at home due to financial constraints or entrenched gender norms, putting them at risk of early pregnancy, abuse, and a cycle of dependency.
With support from the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund, E-WIN will expand its efforts to empower 1,500 adolescent girls in Enugu State. The project includes providing menstrual health education and hygiene products, training girls to make reusable pads, and supporting the most vulnerable students to stay in school. In addition, E-WIN will engage 50 community stakeholders to promote positive masculinity and reduce stigma. Teachers will also receive training in social-emotional learning (SEL) to better support girls’ mental well-being. E-WIN’s outreach will extend through radio programs and social media campaigns.
Building on the success of prior initiatives, E-WIN aims to further reduce period poverty, challenge gender norms, and give girls the tools and confidence to complete their education and lead empowered lives.
To learn more about Equity Watch Initiative, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
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