Women and girls in internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps have continued to demonstrate resilience, strength, and an unwavering commitment to reclaiming their futures. The 2025 National IDPs Conference, organised by the Stand With A Girl (SWAG) Initiative, highlighted the unique challenges faced by these displaced populations, while focusing on the urgent need for strategic investments in education, health care, and empowerment; ENE OSHABA reports.
The Conference
The Stand With A Girl (SWAG) Initiative is a foremost youth-led organisation dedicated to ensuring a dignified living for every girl in Nigeria, promoting a safe and supportive environment for the social, economic, academic, and healthy development of girls in Nigeria.
In 2021, SWAG began the implementation of the WELEAD project, funded by HIVOS, at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Wassa, Abuja, Nigeria. The goal of the project was to provide women and girls with sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information, thereby generating demand for services. It primarily focused on improving access to and utilisation of family planning services and creating awareness to end all forms of gender-based violence within the camp.
In the past four years, SWAG successfully reached over 5,000 women and girls from the Wassa IDPs camp, as well as more than 3,000 men through engagements to promote women’s health and well-being. These activities included an 800-household sensitisation campaign within the camp community. After successfully conducting various activities under the WELEAD project, the implementation timeline concluded in 2025.
To wrap up the phase, the inaugural National Internally Displaced Persons Conference in 2025 took place at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, creating an advocacy platform for IDPs to interact with government leaders, stakeholders, and the private sector to foster investments in the health, education, empowerment, and well-being of IDPs nationwide.
The Conference, held under the theme “Re-strategising Investment: Amplifying the Voices of Women and Girls in Internally Displaced Communities,” underscored the need for systemic change and the prioritisation of women and girls in displacement contexts.
Wassa IDPs: Adama Ali’s ordeal
Adama Ali, a 16-year-old adolescent girl from the Wassa IDPs camp, shared a heartfelt account of her journey as an internally displaced person. She spoke on behalf of countless girls like herself, who had been forced to abandon their homes due to the ongoing insecurity crisis in the northern part of the country. Having lived in the Wassa IDPs camp for the past decade, Adama emphasised the value of education in shaping her future, despite the challenges she faced.
“My family and I fled our community in Maiduguri due to the northern crisis. For the past 10 years, Wassa IDPs camp has been my home. Today, I stand before you as a voice for the many young girls living in internally displaced areas,” she said.
She passionately advocated for access to education, believing it could be the key to a better life for displaced girls. However, Adama made it clear that while external support from initiatives like SWAG had been crucial, long-term solutions were necessary. She called for the construction of a secondary school within her community to ensure that displaced children, particularly girls, could access education without relying on external funding.
“We need a lasting solution; a secondary school within our community where children affected by displacement can access education,” she said.
Her words served as a stark reminder of the importance of investing in infrastructure and systems that will serve the displaced community long after external interventions.
Adama also brought attention to the pressing need for health care services in IDPs camps. She highlighted the lack of proper sexual and reproductive health services, as well as the increasing rates of gender-based violence in these areas. Her message was simple but urgent: “We ask for the opportunity to learn, to grow, to be healthy, and to contribute to the nation we love. Today, we have the chance to change the story of girls in IDP camps.”
Her speech echoed the struggles faced by young girls in displacement but also reflected their unyielding hope for a better future; a future where no girl would have to drop out of school due to displacement, and where the dreams of young girls would not be extinguished by the circumstances of their birth.
SWAG’s mission for women, girls
In her welcome address, the founder of SWAG, Margaret Bolaji-Adegbola, reflected on her own journey and the pivotal moments that led her to advocate for displaced women and girls. Margaret’s personal experience with displacement began in 2011 during the post-election violence in Zaria, Kaduna state. Forced to flee her home, Margaret understood firsthand the devastation caused by displacement, particularly for women and girls who lost not only their homes but their futures.
“Today, I remember 2011 – the year post-election violence erupted across Zaria, Kaduna state, and other parts of the country. My family and I, once firmly rooted in the community we called home, were forced to flee in fear,” Margaret said.
Despite the hardships she faced, Margaret found her calling in empowering displaced women and girls. Through the efforts of SWAG, she has helped countless young women regain their voices and hope for the future.
She shared the success of the WELEAD project, which provided displaced women and girls with essential knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The project funded by HIVOS and hosted by EVA equipped women with critical information on family planning, menstrual hygiene, and STI prevention. The initiative’s impact was evident, with knowledge of SRHR among participants increasing dramatically; from 41.3% at the start to 88.9% by the end.
“The results speak volumes,” Margaret said, citing the success of the program not just in increasing knowledge but also in encouraging positive changes in behaviour, such as greater use of contraceptives and access to antenatal care. This was a clear example of how empowering women and girls with education and resources can lead to lasting change in their lives and communities.
Plight of IDPs women, girls
The Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on Community Engagement for the North Central region, Abiodun Essiet, in her keynote address, analysed the displacement crisis in Nigeria. She noted that the complex and multifaceted nature of displacement in the country – driven by insurgency, insecurity, and natural disasters – is displacing millions from their homes.
“The crisis of internal displacement in Nigeria is a complex and multifaceted issue, driven by insurgency, insecurity, and natural disasters,” she noted.
She emphasised that the majority of displaced persons were women and children, with women and girls bearing the brunt of the crisis. These women and girls, often subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation, and abuse, were left vulnerable in an already fragile situation.
“The impact of displacement on women and girls is particularly devastating. They are often subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation, and abuse. Many are forced to become the primary breadwinners for their families, despite having limited access to education, skills training, and economic opportunities.”
She called for urgent action to address the root causes of displacement and ensure that women and girls had access to the resources and opportunities they needed to rebuild their lives.
Essiet also stressed the importance of amplifying the voices of women and girls in IDP camps, emphasising the need for inclusive decision-making processes and the creation of platforms for displaced women to share their experiences and concerns.
“We must create a platform for them to share their experiences, and to participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives,” she urged.
She called on all stakeholders to work collaboratively to prevent Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and protect the rights of women and girls in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. She emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive response to the displacement crisis – one that places women and girls at the centre of all interventions.
“This requires a coordinated effort from government agencies, civil society organisations, and international partners. We must work together to deliver a comprehensive response to the displacement crisis – one that truly prioritises the needs of women and girls,” she said.
She underscored the importance of amplifying the voices of displaced women and girls to ensure their needs and concerns are not just heard but addressed meaningfully.
“We must create platforms for them to share their experiences and participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives. By doing so, we ensure that our response is inclusive, effective, and sustainable.”
Essiet added that amplifying “these voices requires a multifaceted approach,” including access to information, education, skills training, and platforms that hold leaders accountable.
She further urged stakeholders to prioritise the unique needs of women and girls in IDPs camps, including access to health care, education, economic opportunities, and trauma support, while addressing the root causes of displacement.
She assured attendees that her office, through ongoing community peace initiatives, is actively fostering unity and mutual understanding across the North-central region.
“By promoting peace and social cohesion, we can reduce the triggers of displacement and stem the increase in the number of IDPs. We must also prevent sexual and gender-based violence and protect the rights of women and girls in these camps.”
Essiet highlighted the devastating impact of displacement on women and girls, noting they are disproportionately affected by SGBV, exploitation, and abuse. Many are thrust into the role of breadwinner despite limited access to education or skills development, while also facing risks such as early marriage, child labor, and human trafficking.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, affirmed the Federal Government’s commitment under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu (GCFR) to safeguarding the fundamental human rights of all IDPs.
“We remain committed to a harmonised response to internal displacement and to achieving durable solutions for displaced populations. Let us work together to create a brighter future for Nigeria’s IDPs,” he said.
UN agencies call for action
Representing UNFPA, Dr. Gifty Addico, highlighted the importance of investing in women and girls, particularly in terms of sexual and reproductive health services. UNFPA’s efforts to improve the lives of girls in humanitarian settings focus on empowering them to make informed decisions about their health and future.
Represented by the UNFPA Humanitarian Programme Analyst Dr. Matthew Onoja, Dr. Addico emphasised the need for long-term, gender-responsive solutions that go beyond immediate relief efforts. These solutions must prioritise the voices of displaced women and girls and ensure that they are actively involved in the design and implementation of interventions that affect their lives.
“The focus of the conference sub-themes on Health, Education, and Empowerment underscores the key leverage factors women and girls need to amplify their voices,” Addico stated.
“Women and girls in IDP camps often experience unique challenges, including limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, heightened risks of gender-based violence, and restricted opportunities for education and economic empowerment,” he added.
Similarly, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), represented by Ms. Sharon Dimanche, also stressed the importance of addressing the specific needs of women and girls in IDP camps.
She reflected on the stories of resilience and survival, particularly the story of Victoria in Adamawa, an IDP who found hope and purpose after being resettled by IOM. Ms. Demanche called for more collaboration across sectors to ensure that women and girls had the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Moving forward
As the Conference concluded, the need for a collective commitment to improving the lives of women and girls in IDPs camps was emphasised. From providing access to education and health care to empowering women to participate in decision-making, the key takeaway was that the voices of displaced women and girls must not only be heard but acted upon.
The work of organisations like SWAG, UNFPA, and IOM, alongside the efforts of the Nigerian government, is a testament to the resilience of displaced communities. However, as Adama Ali poignantly said, “We can create a school that will last long after this generation ends; a school that will be a symbol of hope for generations to come.” This vision of a sustainable future, where women and girls can thrive, must drive the investments and actions of all stakeholders involved.
The Conference agreed that together, with the right investments in education, health care, and empowerment, the voices of women and girls in IDPs camps can be amplified, transforming the narrative from one of survival to one of hope and opportunity.