At Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI), a faith-inspired organization of the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus, (HHCJ), inspired by the vision and work of Mother Mary Charles Magdalen Walker, RSC, our daily work reflects a deep conviction: that women’s empowerment is not only a matter of economic inclusion or political participation, but of full human flourishing. This conviction is rooted both in the words of Christ in John 10:10—“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”—and in Catholic social thought’s principle of integral human development, which emphasizes the dignity of the whole person spiritually, socially, economically, culturally, and politically. For us, abundance is not merely material wealth but a life of dignity, peace, and opportunity. In Nigeria, where poverty, gender-based violence, and systemic inequities continue to undermine women’s potential, this holistic approach has proven essential. Development cannot be reduced to material outcomes alone; it must address the spiritual, cultural, and relational dimensions of life if it is to foster real transformation.
Religion plays a central role in shaping values, relationships, and social structures in Nigeria. Faith institutions hold trust in ways that governments and even international agencies often do not. CWSI leverages this reality, using Catholic social teaching not only as an inspiration but as a practical framework for programming. Again, at the heart of our conviction is the promise of Christ in John 10:10. For us, abundance goes beyond material well-being. It includes freedom from violence, the ability to participate fully in society, and the recognition of one’s dignity as a child of God.
In our work addressing gender-based violence (GBV), for instance, we do not stop at providing psychosocial support or legal aid. We also engage spiritual leaders, women religious, priests, the Catholic Women Organization (CWO), the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), and the Confraternity of Christian Mothers of Nigeria (CCMN), who hold moral authority in their communities and are leaders of women’s groups as collaborators. Through dialogue and training, they become advocates for women’s dignity, using their pulpits, platforms, and forums to challenge harmful practices like child marriage, female genital mutilation, harmful widowhood practices, domestic violence, and cultural stigmatization of survivors. This integration of spiritual leadership into advocacy has made our interventions more culturally resonant and sustainable.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a global framework for progress, yet they often appear abstract in local contexts. Faith-inspired approaches like ours translate these global goals into lived realities. Take SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 1 on Ending Poverty, for example. CWSI’s economic empowerment initiatives for rural women weave together practical training, cooperative savings schemes, revolving loan schemes, and awareness-raising on women’s rights within the family, often using the platform of the church and religious leaders. These efforts are not purely economic. They affirm women’s dignity as contributors to community life and emphasize solidarity, a core Catholic principle. In this way, our work bridges the disconnect that sometimes arises between the technocratic language of the SDGs and the lived spiritual-cultural contexts of Nigerian women.
Similarly, in advancing SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-Being, CWSI has worked to confront the stigma faced by survivors of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF), a debilitating childbirth injury often associated with early and forced marriage. Our approach goes beyond medical referrals: through advocacy, we have supported communities in enacting bylaws that curb child marriage, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable by constituted community task forces. At the same time, we provide psychosocial counseling and facilitate community reintegration for survivors, guided by the conviction that true healing embraces both body and spirit.
Integral human development is not an individualistic project; it emphasizes the common good and the bonds of solidarity. Our experience shows that empowering one woman often transforms entire communities. Our work often repeats this phrase: “When you train one woman, you train a community.” Women who benefit from skills training or leadership development quickly become mentors and advocates in their communities, multiplying the impact of each initiative. Here we find inspiration in Proverbs 31:25–26: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” This scripture reflects the reality we witness: empowered women build stronger households and guide their communities with wisdom and courage.
One example comes from our agricultural empowerment projects in Abuja and its environs. Women who received training in organic fertilizer production and sustainable farming not only improved their household incomes but also began training others, creating a ripple effect of knowledge-sharing. Here again, material outcomes such as income generation were inseparable from cultural renewal in terms of respect for women farmers, social gains through stronger women’s cooperatives, and environmental benefits from sustainable practices.
From these experiences, we draw important lessons. Spiritual leadership is a critical resource, as faith actors often hold the moral legitimacy needed to challenge cultural practices that perpetuate gender inequality. Their proximity to the populace and the local culture enhances their influence and relevance in championing equity. Holistic empowerment requires going beyond services; providing economic skills or legal aid is vital, but insufficient. Programs must address relational, spiritual, and cultural dimensions to sustain change. Faith-inspired approaches make global goals local by grounding the SDGs in values of dignity, solidarity, and justice, ensuring that international frameworks resonate with local realities. Finally, community multiplier effects amplify impact. Empowering women generates ripple effects in families, parishes, and communities, aligning with the vision of integral human development as collective flourishing.
CWSI’s experience affirms that faith-inspired development is not a parallel track to the SDGs but a vital complement. Catholic social teaching provides the moral vision; the SDGs offer measurable targets. Together, they create a roadmap for inclusive progress that honors the whole human person. As faith actors, we are called not only to alleviate material poverty but also to heal relational wounds, strengthen cultural identities, and nurture spiritual resilience. For women and girls in Nigeria, empowerment means more than access to income or education; it means recognition of their God-given dignity and their capacity to lead in shaping a more just and peaceful society.
In this sense, integral human development is not just a theory. It is the daily work of faith-inspired organizations like CWSI: creating spaces where women and girls can flourish fully socially, economically, politically, spiritually, and culturally, and, in doing so, helping communities and nations move closer to the vision of sustainable, inclusive development.
