The Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF) recently held it's Technical Policy Blueprint Co Development Workshop in Imo State, bringing together government representatives, Gender Desk Officers from relevant ministries, civil society organisations, community stakeholders and other relevant actors to develop practical strategies for strengthening gender responsive development planning and inclusive governance in the state.
The workshop, which took place on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, at Rento Hotel and Suites, Owerri, Imo State, commenced with a welcome address by the Executive Director of the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Dorothy Njemanze, who set the tone for the engagement and emphasised the importance of creating policy frameworks that reflect the realities, experiences and priorities of citizens, particularly women and vulnerable groups.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Imo State on Sustainable Development Goals, Hon. Chinenyenwa Owuamalam, was among key partners supporting the Technical Policy Blueprint Co Development Workshop organised by the Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF) in Imo State.
For the programme, DNF partnered with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Imo State on SDGs, alongside three Imo State based organisations, Data Desk for Social Development (DDSD), Africa Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR), and OPAISD, Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development.
The partnership brought together government and development focused organisations to support the process of translating the findings of the women’s needs assessment and Charter of Demands into practical strategies that can contribute to gender responsive development planning and the proposed three year Imo State Strategic Blueprint.
The Dorothy Njemanze Foundation is a survivor led feminist organisation advancing gender justice, accountable governance and inclusive democracy in Nigeria through policy advocacy, feminist research, media and community rooted engagement. DNF works across the full accountability chain, from citizen voice to institutional reform, with a strong focus on sexual and gender based violence, women’s political participation and gender responsive public systems.
Over the past three years, with the support of Heinrich Böll Stiftung Foundation Abuja, DNF has implemented one of Nigeria’s sustained feminist leadership initiatives, deliberately shifting the discourse from simply defining feminism to examining what feminist leadership must deliver. This work has strengthened DNF’s position as a credible bridge between grassroots women, civil society and state institutions at both national and subnational levels.
The workshop featured Hon. Modestus Osakwe, Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs (MHSVA), Imo State, and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Imo State on Sustainable Development Goals, Hon. Chinenyenwa Owuamalam, who were both present at the event.
The objectives of the workshop were presented by the Programme Officer of DNF, Hafsat Abdulrasaq, who explained the purpose of the engagement and the expected contributions of participants towards the development of a three year Imo State Strategic Blueprint.
The workshop was designed to collectively present and review the findings of the needs assessment and the validated Charter of Demands, while translating the identified priorities into practical, sector specific strategies that can inform the proposed three year Imo State Strategic Blueprint.
A major session at the workshop was facilitated by the Consultant to DNF, Mr Udochukwu Chukwu, who took participants through the evidence from the Imo State needs assessment and the Charter of Demands developed from consultations with selected Local Government Areas across the three senatorial zones of the state.
The session provided participants with an opportunity to examine the realities and priorities identified during the community consultations and consider how those demands could be translated into practical policy interventions.
Among the issues identified through the needs assessment and Charter of Demands were challenges affecting women’s access to land and economic opportunities, as well as barriers limiting women’s participation in political and decision making processes. These findings provided an important basis for the development of practical strategies that can respond to the lived experiences and priorities of women across the state.
In her contribution, the moderator of the workshop, Priye Diri, took participants through a session titled, “The Anatomy of a Policy Blueprint.” She clearly explained the difference between a policy blueprint and advocacy, helping participants to understand the purpose, structure and expected outcomes of the blueprint being developed by DNF.
The workshop also addressed the broader challenges confronting women in Imo State, particularly structural barriers affecting access to economic opportunities, healthcare, political participation, land and decision making. Participants were encouraged to consider these challenges from a policy perspective and develop realistic strategies capable of addressing them within the framework of a three year development plan.
A major highlight of the event was the screening of the “Leadership as e suppose be” documentary. The documentary provided participants with an opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities of leadership and the need for leaders and institutions to remain responsive and accountable to the needs of the people they serve.
Following the documentary, participants were divided into different groups according to their areas of interest, expertise and the thematic areas of discussion to develop strategies for identified priority sectors.
The Workshop focused on key areas including agriculture, land acquisition by women, health and women’s participation in politics. Each group was tasked with developing a three year strategy that would address identified challenges, establish practical interventions and provide a framework that could contribute to improved outcomes for women and communities across Imo State.
The participation of Gender Desk Officers from different ministries in line with the thematic areas of discussion provided an important institutional dimension to the Workshop. Their involvement enabled participants to consider the proposed strategies within the context of existing government structures, policies and institutional responsibilities.
At the end of the Workshop, each group selected a leader who presented its proposed strategy to other participants and stakeholders. The presentations provided an opportunity for participants to collectively examine the proposals, make contributions and identify areas that could be strengthened towards the development of a comprehensive three year Strategic Blueprint.
The Technical Policy Blueprint Co Development Workshop was therefore designed to take the Charter of Demands a step further by bringing relevant government institutions, Gender Desk Officers, civil society representatives, community stakeholders and other actors together to translate identified priorities into practical, sector specific strategies that can contribute to Imo State development planning.
The organisers noted that women in Imo State, like women across Nigeria, continue to experience structural barriers that affect their access to economic opportunities, education, healthcare, political participation and decision making. Limited opportunities for women and communities to influence policy processes can result in development priorities that do not adequately reflect their lived experiences and needs.
With Nigeria approaching the 2027 general elections, DNF considers strengthening institutional commitment to gender responsive policies particularly important. Developing a strategic framework capable of providing continuity beyond individual political administrations offers an opportunity to embed citizens’ priorities within government planning and strengthen accountability for their implementation.
The workshop therefore sought to establish clear strategic priorities, implementation pathways and institutional responsibilities across key sectors, while strengthening collaboration among government institutions, Gender Desk Officers, civil society organisations, community representatives and other relevant stakeholders.
The Blueprint is also expected to provide agreed implementation pathways and institutional responsibilities for advancing the identified priorities, while strengthening government and stakeholder ownership and commitment towards its formal adoption and implementation.
The presence of senior government representatives, including the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Hon. Chinenyenwa Owuamalam, and the Imo State Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs, Hon. Modestus Osakwe, alongside Gender Desk Officers, civil society representatives and community stakeholders, underscored the importance of institutional participation in advancing gender responsive policy development.
The Technical Policy Blueprint Co Development Workshop ended with participants presenting their proposed sector based strategies, providing a practical foundation for the next stage of developing the three year Imo State Strategic Blueprint. The engagement marked a significant step towards ensuring that the voices, experiences and priorities identified by women and vulnerable groups are translated into actionable policy strategies that can inform development planning and strengthen accountability in Imo State.
0 Comments