Stakeholders’ coalition launched and empowerment manual shared in Karu

In October 2025, Olive Rights to Health Initiative (ORHI) hosted the inauguration of a stakeholders’ coalition and the dissemination of a newly developed Economic Empowerment Manual in Karu, Nasarawa State. The event was part of the FEF-OSC 2025 project, “Promoting Economic Empowerment and Access to Health Services by Young Female Sex Workers and Females Who Use Drugs”, funded by the Embassy of France in Nigeria and delivered with Beam Community Development 360 Initiative (BCD360).

The coalition brings together community voices, institutional leaders and rights-based organisations to help make sure young women and key populations have the tools, opportunities and support they need. Taking part were representatives of:

• the Nigeria Police Force
• the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Karu Chapter
• the Nasarawa State Ministry of Women Affairs
• the Ministry of Education
• the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA) and LACA

The Economic Empowerment Manual is a practical guide to sustainable livelihoods and social reintegration for young women. We thank the team who worked hard to develop it, and Cognito for its technical support and partnership throughout the project.

The coalition marks a new phase of shared work on inclusion, dignity and economic opportunity for young women in Karu.