A few words

About Us

Greater Women Initiative for Health and Rights (GWIHR) is a Sex worker-led organization with resolved to intervene for the Rights and Health needs of sex workers. She started as an association of friends on the 22nd of November 2014 and metamorphosed into an organization in May 2015.

GWIHR is registered with the Federal Republic of Nigeria Corporate Affairs Commission with Registration Number CAC/IT/NO 90552
GWIHR accept as true that health care services, human rights and education should be assured for everyone irrespective of one’s choice of job, gender, sexual orientation or identity.

We are committed to gender equality; we value multiplicity and participation, especially of sex workers living with HIV/AIDS in our supremacy as well as programs; and we accept as true in the strength of mind of volunteerism to be innermost to achieve our directive and advance our foundation and to strengthen the voice of sex workers.

Greater Women Initiative for Health and Right (GWIHR) is a youth-led, community-based organization operating at the subnational level in the Southern Nigeria. GWIHR is committed to advancing gender equality, promoting health equity, safeguarding human rights, and empowering diverse sexual minorities (male, female, and LBTQ sex workers) including those who use and inject drugs. The organization is dedicated to fostering an environment where diverse sex workers, irrespective of their sexuality, gender identity, or expression, live a healthy, dignified life devoid of violence, exclusion, and discrimination. GWIHR’s expertise includes advocacy, awareness campaigns, capacity building, service delivery, policy advancements, legal reforms, empowerment programs, research, rigorous monitoring, and evaluation. GWIHR is registered under Part C of the Company and Allied Matters Act 2020 as a Non-Profit Organization, with Incorporation Number CAC/IT/NO 90552 in 2016, though it began as an informal group of young friends in 2014.

Founded to amplify the voices of sexual minorities, GWIHR promotes their access to comprehensive healthcare services, human rights protection, access to justice and advocates for economic and bodily autonomy. In addition, the organization fosters their inclusive and equal participation in decision-making spaces. The organization acknowledges the societal prejudices faced by sex workers due to age, lifestyle, job choice, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

To achieve this, GWIHR focuses on building the capacity of diverse sex workers for meaningful community empowerment, encouraging their participation in decision-making processes, preventing gender-based violence, stigma, and discrimination, and reducing their vulnerability to and spread of HIV and other infectious public health diseases. Since its formation, GWIHR has expanded its reach, power, and influence across Rivers, Abia, Imo and Akwa-Ibom States in Nigeria. Also, GWIHR has been able to gain global recognition as the organization represents young sex workers globally in the Global HIV Prevention Advisory Group hosted by Global Black Gay Men Connect (GBGMC) and Advocacy for HIV Prevention Coalition (AVAC).

GWIHR CORE VALUES

GWIHR's Belief

We accept as true that health care services, human rights and education should be assured for everyone irrespective of one’s choice of job, gender, sexual orientation or identity.

OUR MISSION

To uphold the voice of diverse sexual minorities (male, female and LBTQ sex workers) in promoting and advocating for their rights, access to justice, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) including HIV services, and further create an enabling environment that allows them live up to their prospects..

OUR VISION

We envision a society where diverse sexual minorities (male, female and LBTQ sex workers) live dignified and healthy life.

OUR GOAL

To reduce mortality among diverse sexual minorities (male, female and LBTQ sex workers) as a result of sexual and reproductive health-related infections, gender-based violence, and poverty.

OBJECTIVES

Advocacy for reform of unfavorable social norms and polices that hinders diverse sexual minorities (male, female and LBTQ sex workers) access to human right protections and legal representations.
Promote the availability, accessibility and affordability of stigma-free comprehensive SRHR including HIV services for diverse sexual minorities (male, female and LBTQ sex workers) and shift narratives by raising community awareness and encouraging the development of progressive and inclusive SRHR laws, policies, and practices to guide SRHR service provision for diverse sex workers.
Building technical and institutional capacity of GWIHR towards achieving a sustainable community intervention and programming for diverse sexual minorities (male, female and LBTQ sex workers).
Strengthening partnership and collaboration through critical engagement with relevant stakeholders such as community/religious leaders, law enforcers, policy makers, private and government agencies.
Promoting the quality of lives of diverse sexual minorities (male, female and LBTQ sex workers) through capacity building, skills empowerment and participatory programming, using human right-based approach.