CSR-in-Action Premieres Ford Foundation Funded ‘Earth Women’ Documentary

L-R: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji; Lead Pastor, The Elevation Church, Godman Akinlabi; The Erelu of Lagos, Abiola Dosunmu; Nollywood star and Executive Producer, Earth Women, Ego Boyo; and Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action, and Producer, Earth Women, Bekeme Masade-Olowola

The drive for gender inclusion and women empowerment in Nigeria received a boost at the recently held premiere of ‘Earth Women’, a poignant documentary that explores the plight of women living in communities impacted by extractive activities, including oil and gas exploration and mining. The Earth Women launch is an initiative of CSR-in-Action Advocacy, the development-focused arm of the CSR-in-Action Group and primarily funded by Ford Foundation.

The grand premiere, which was sponsored by Access Bank, had in attendance, prominent personalities from business, entertainment, the media, the public sector, and the international community.

L-R: Foluke Ademokun, Lagos State Coordinator, Women in Mining (WIMIN); Emem Okon, CEO, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre; Anthony Aalo and Madam Namon Grace, both community leaders in the Ogoni community; and Elizabeth Odeyemi, Sustainability Consultant, CSR-in-Action during the panel session.

According to Bekeme Masade-Olowola, CSR-in-Action’s Chief Executive and Earth Women’s producer, who visualised the concept for the documentary,

“When natural disasters occur, women suffer immensely because their sources of livelihood are threatened, and they often do not have control over what happens to them in such situations. Nevertheless, women continue to thrive and find better ways to survive. But we want to use these powerful visuals to change that narrative.”

CSR-in-Action Advocacy, part of the CSR-in-Action Group, was founded by Masade-Olowola 11 years ago, and is now a foremost sustainability consulting, advocacy and training outfit. Earth Women was executively – produced by communication expert, Meka Olowola and veteran thespian, Ego Boyo.

“Wherever you find benefits in the form of natural resources, you find women and girls unfairly excluded from conversations around these resources. Women continue to be marginalised in both formal and informal spaces,” said Funke Baruwa, Country Director, West Africa for Ford Foundation.

“We are supporting organisations like CSR-in-Action because we believe that supporting them will help in identifying gaps and driving programs and strategies that address challenges that women face in the extractive sector,” Baruwa added.

L-R: Director, Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability, The Coca-Cola Company; Amaka Onyemelukwe; Country Director, UK Government Department for International Trade, Nigeria, Chimwemwe Chalemera; Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action and Producer, Earth Women, Bekeme Masade-Olowola; Ms Yemisi Ransome-Kuti; and Founder, Women at Risk Foundation (WARIF), Dr Kemi DaSilva-Ibru

Earth Women is part of the ‘SITEI-Woman’ project, a series of initiatives targeted at empowering women, especially those impacted by the extractive industries in Nigeria, which is an offshoot of the 10-year-old Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI) Initiative, of CSR-in-Action which is aimed at fostering fiscal and social justice for communities with oil and gas and mining resources.

L-R: Managing Partner, Zenera Consulting and Executive Director, Earth Woman presenting an appreciation plaque to Head, Sustainability, Access Bank, Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan

Ego Boyo ended the screening by enjoining institutions to join in the crusade started by CSR-in-Action. She further asked guests to visit HERE to sign up for the gender mainstreaming recommendations and to contribute to the $500,000 fund being raised for an access-to-market platform for local female (and male) miners.

L-R: Managing Partner, Zenera Consulting and Executive Director, Earth Women, Meka Olowola; Program Associate, Ford Foundation West Africa, Onyinye Onyemobi; and Country Director, Ford Foundation West Africa, Funke Baruwa as Ford Foundation receives recognition for its support for social justice

L-R: Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Towers, Dapo Otunla; Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action and Producer, Earth Women, Bekeme Masade-Olowola; Director, Sustainability and Corporate Communications, IHS, Cima Sholotan; and MD/CEO, Niger Delta Exploration and Production, NDEP, Adegbite Falade

L-R: Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic with veteran actress, and Co-Executive Producer, Earth Women, Ego Boyo

Bekeme Masade-Olowola, Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action and Producer, Earth Woman walks down the red carpet

The CSR-in-Action team

L-R: Founder, Erinla Ecosystem, Yomi Awobokun; Co-Executive Producer, Earth Women, Meka Olowola; and CEO, Landwey, Olawale Ayilara

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