The Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Mr. Monday Osasah, at the project inception for the initiative of Male Feminists Network (MFN) meeting held in Abuja, on August 13, 2025 spoke of the need to implement the “Male Feminists Network (MFN)” in support of Gender-Based Violence Prevention in Nigeria
In his speech, The Executive Director, said “The implementation of the project – “Male Feminists Network (MFN)” – will involve building the capacity of male leaders in gender advocacy, feminist principles, and GBV prevention; strengthening the Male Feminist Network; engaging Traditional and Religious Leaders; raising public awareness on gender equality and GBV prevention; mentoring male advocates; and collaborating with Women’s Rights Organisations and female feminists.”
The Male Feminists Network (MFN) project is the brain of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) which is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and think tank in Nigeria, it was founded to build strategic leadership for sustainable development across Africa. The Centre’s mission is to work with forces of positive change to empower citizens to transform society. Its programmes are executed through research, capacity building, advocacy, and campaigns based on the principles of catalytic partnership and rights-based approaches to programming. The Centre is guided by eight core values, including diversity, integrity, feminism, human dignity, pan-Africanism, accountability, transparency, and transformative change.
Mr Monday Osasah reiterated that through the MFN project, the Centre intend to develop a vibrant network of male feminists who will actively promote the prevention of gender-based violence and advocate for women’s rights. He said “We believe men play a crucial role in challenging harmful masculinities and encouraging positive attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls. By engaging men and boys in gender advocacy, we aim to create a more just and equitable society where women and girls can flourish.”
He also said the goal is to train over 1,000 male leaders and influencers within the next two years to become active allies within their communities and sectors. also to facilitate the smooth implementation of the MFN project, the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) has selected six partners, based on specific criteria, from each of the six geopolitical zones. The partners include: CITAD – North West, Lawyers Alert – North East, Kozaki Foundation – North Central, New Initiative for Social Development (NISD) – South West, Neighbourhood Environment Watch (NEW Foundation) – South East, Value Rebirth & Empowerment Initiative (VREI) – South South.
Since the grant approval by the Ford Foundation, several developments have taken place at the Secretariat, including:
1. Holding a feminist award to honour individuals who have demonstrated commitment to feminist values and have made significant contributions to promoting gender equality.
2. Recruitment of two consultants — one for baseline assessment and another for developing the training manual.
3. An authored book on feminism, including a chapter review, with publication in progress.
4. Development of online courses, with team meetings with the consultant every Sunday at 8 pm to review progress and incorporate input.
In stating the essence for the meeting, The Executive Director said; “The need for this meeting cannot be overstated. It serves to accomplish the following objectives:
Clarifying Project Objectives: Ensuring all stakeholders understand the project’s goals, scope, and deliverables.
Establishing Communication Channels: Defining how stakeholders will communicate, including frequency, format, and channels.
Setting Expectations: Aligning stakeholder expectations regarding timelines, roles, and responsibilities.
Building Team Dynamics: Introducing team members, fostering collaboration, and establishing a positive working environment.
Identifying Risks and Assumptions: Discussing potential risks, assumptions, and dependencies that may impact the project.
Defining Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly outlining each team member’s tasks, accountability, and authority.
Outlining Project Plans: Reviewing the project schedule, milestones, and critical path activities.
“The inception meeting sets the tone for the project, ensures everyone is aligned, and helps prevent misunderstandings or miscommunication in the future.
I urge everyone to participate fully in all the deliberations, so we can maximise the reasons for our coming to this meeting”. he said.
