Muslim Women's Advocacy Program

Through its Muslim Women Advocacy Program, the International Republican Institute (IRI) has continued to build women's advocacy skills and political awareness across Africa. Aware that women's development in many societies often hinges on the role of men, IRI offers activities both to women as well as to men in order to promote knowledge, understanding and acceptance of the role women can play in building a stronger and more open society. Focusing on women's groups in Nigeria, Kenya, Liberia and Somaliland, this regional program seeks to strengthen the organizational capacity of women's groups in countries with significant Muslim populations.

By focusing on gender based activism in these countries, IRI is helping to remove traditional barriers to political participation that have existed for women and to aid in the development of truly democratic societies. Through regional workshops, IRI is also facilitating discussion and mentoring for women across the continent. By encouraging the exchange of ideas among women from different societies, the program increases solidarity and helps build a support network for future democratic initiatives in their respective countries.