Women Advocates Research
and Documentation Center

Lagos, Nigeria

The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center is working to end violence against women in Nigeria, where poverty and impunity from the law deprive women of their most basic security.

WARDC is dedicated to enhancing women's participation in political and peace processes, and to ensure that women's legal rights are upheld in Nigeria.

With the support of the Global Fund, the International League of Human Rights and Friends of Africa International, WARDC traveled to the United Nations to attend the 50th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

This year the WARDC also launched a new documentary and book, "The 11 Day Siege: Gains and Challenges of Women's Non-violent Struggles in the Niger Delta." This book chronicles women's activism against Chevron's exploitation of resources and local communities in Nigeria. Two women activists from Ugborodo, leaders in the struggle against Chevron, traveled with WARDC to New York for the conference.

In 2002, women of the oil-rich Niger Delta succeeded, through non-violent demonstrations, in obtaining a memorandum of understanding from Chevron addressing the corporation's systematic pollution and exploitation of the region. Environmental degradation from the oil industry has robbed many women of their livelihoods by destroying local farms and fisheries. Chevron agreed to remove petroleum waste from the region and invest in the welfare of the Delta's residents. However, since 2002 Chevron has taken no action to actualize these promises.

WARDC is bringing renewed attention to Chevron, and working with other women's groups and international agencies to bring justice to the women of the Niger Delta.

Main Issues:
Political Participation Environmental Justice

Grants Received:
2006    $6,000

Since 1990 the Global Fund has awarded over $1 million to women's groups in Nigeria.