Advocacy and documenting women's research the ‘WORDOC way’

Abstract

Women and gender issues have been discussed globally pointing out areas where needs must be met in order to put the marginalized and disadvantaged at an advantage. Some of the biggest challenges to advancing gender equality, health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women across Africa are (1) poverty, inequality and social exclusion of women and girls from vital decision-making spheres; (2) work overload on female leaders due to failure to identify more capable and willing females, thus hampering the achievement of affirmative action; and (3) failure of the system to design and sustain pro-women succession plans in community leadership across the continent. These and more are being creatively combated via cooperative interaction, symbiotic acquisition of cosmopolitan leadership skills, domesticating global leadership strategies for addressing emerging trends and building all-inclusive development communication by improving access to information (ATI). Amidst these strategies, there is still more to be done, as new challenges emerge and human and capital facilities to surmount the numerous challenges are diminishing. This study is descriptive and exploratory as it presents the work of Women's Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC) as case study, hence the ‘WORDOC Way’. With the mission to spear-head evidence-based research for impactful community-based project and social development by maintaining a documentation center for the use of scholars, researchers and other interested persons, testimonial exists of her efforts which resulted in the initial creation of Women's Commission in Nigeria and has today evolved into a full-blown Ministry of Women's Affairs. The 'WORDOC way' is outlined as a holistic framework for women’s development through conferences, seminars, skill acquisition programmes, media education and library resources. WORDOC’s over thirty years’ pattern of mentoring and succession planning are also commendable, and the ideas will be shared. Although the ‘WORDOC way’ has survived uncomplimentary dynamisms across African states, waning interest of committed personnel and donor fatigue are major setbacks. Currently, the documentation activities which develop women’s mental capital and augment them with contemporary skills for initiating solution-based researches to immediate problems in their communities are being run. Plans for expanding the library facilities to that of a resource center, well-equipped and remotely linked globally to similar centers worldwide are equally underway and outlined in this paper. Recommendations are made for using the advocacy methodology and grassroots participatory model in achieving the goals.