The Game Changers: Gender Equality Club Nigeria (GECN) Building a Future Where Girls Lead
The Youth Collective is thrilled to shine a spotlight on one of the incredible changemakers in its network: the Gender Equality Club Nigeria (GECN). This organisation is a vibrant, youth-led movement dedicated to dismantling barriers and championing liberation for women and girls in Nigeria, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
A Movement Born from Need: GECN’s Brief History
GECN was founded in 2020 in Gboko, Benue State, Nigeria. The organisation emerged because a group of young women recognized a vital need. They observed systemic roadblocks hindering women’s social and economic participation and established GECN as a community-based, young-women-led nonprofit organisation to address these challenges.
Since its founding, GECN has implemented powerful grassroots programs focused on:
- Gender Justice
- Digital Literacy
- Climate Action
- Civic Engagement
Core Purpose and Mission
GECN’s mission is clear: to accelerate gender equality and women’s liberation across Nigeria. The organisation pursues this goal through advocacy for women’s and girls’ rights, as well as education and economic empowerment initiatives.
GECN strives to create inclusive opportunities that allow women and youth to realize their full potential and actively participate in building equitable, sustainable communities.
Youth Power in Action: Connecting & Leading
The organisation actively invests in young people through mentorship, leadership development, and digital empowerment programs. GECN organizes youth-led dialogues and runs school-based Gender Equality Clubs to encourage young people, especially girls, to take on leadership roles in addressing critical issues such as Gender-Based Violence (GBV), climate change, and digital inclusion.
Some of GECN’s impact initiatives include:
- Invest in Local Leaders: Impact Democracy Future: Providing platforms for youth to engage in global conversations.
- The STEM Hub Lab Project: Working to break down barriers in science and technology.
- GiveHerOne Pad: Combating menstrual waste and ensuring girls stay in school.
Through these initiatives, GECN provides crucial platforms for young people to learn, innovate, and advocate for positive change within their communities.
GECN’s Impact: Changing Lives, Building Leaders
The Gender Equality Club Nigeria provides a crucial safe and supportive space where rural girls and young women can build confidence, develop leadership skills, and access opportunities for growth.
GECN’s work is structured around three core pillars: Rights, Education, and Empowerment.
| Demographic | Reach | Impact |
| Girls (Aged 12–19) | Over 3,000 across five secondary schools | Supporting them in building confidence, developing leadership skills, and accessing opportunities. |
| Women (Aged 20–45) | More than 1,000 | Supporting their journeys toward education, economic independence, and community leadership. |
GECN continues to foster inclusive social change and promote gender justice in underserved communities across Nigeria.
GECN & The Youth Collective: Stronger Together
GECN first became involved with the Youth Collective in 2023 through participation in the SHE SOARS project, a youth-led research and advocacy initiative by Restless Development. This engagement marked the beginning of a collaborative effort.
The Youth Collective has supported GECN in two significant ways:
- Funding Opportunities: The Youth Collective has consistently shared monthly funding opportunities that GECN successfully used to secure two grants, significantly expanding its local impact.
- Increased Visibility: In 2024, the Youth Collective spotlighted GECN’s 16 Days of Activism campaign. This amplified their visibility and opened up valuable connections with international partners and networks.
GECN serves as a powerful example of what young leaders can achieve when they are connected, funded, and supported within a nurturing network.