Women Initiative for Sustainable Environment and Equality (WISE) is a non-profit organization founded in 2014 in response to multiple layers of oppression experienced by marginalized women in Northern Nigeria.

WISE was established to bridge the gaps in mainstream women’s rights programming and human rights programming that continue to exclude marginalized women. Through capacity building, engagement with stakeholders and policymakers, grassroots organizing, and storytelling, WISE-Nigeria aims to give visibility to and humanize the lived experiences of women in northern Nigeria.

Due to the extreme religious and cultural contexts in this part of Nigeria, WISE is deliberate about incorporating intersectionality and Communications for Development (C4D) approaches into program planning and resource allocation to strengthen advocacy and center the needs of each person. Discriminatory acts and violence directed towards marginalized women in Northern Nigeria are much more severe in comparison with other parts of the country due to the enforcement of the Shari’a law in the northern region, which exacerbates violations of human rights. The Shari’a law views diverse women as a taboo, leaving them vulnerable to honor killings, forced early marriages, and other forms of violence.

WISE-Nigeria is dedicated to engaging religious leaders and equipping marginalized women with knowledge on bodily autonomy, self-awareness, and leadership skills, among others. This empowers them to make healthy decisions about their lives and bodies, enabling them to reach their full potential.