Women in South West Nigeria - Shrinking Civic Space Testimonies

YOUR STORY MATTERS. YOUR VOICE DESERVES TO BE HEARD. What happens when women speak up, organise, lead, report, teach or challenge the status quo? Too often, they face intimidation, sexualised harassment, reputational attacks, economic exclusion and digital surveillance simply for making their voices heard. But these experiences should not remain hidden, undocumented or unheard. Through Women Reclaiming Voice, a 2026 project by Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI) in partnership with Spaces for Change, we invite women across South West Nigeria to share their lived experiences of shrinking civic space. Whether you work in civil society, media, education, the informal economy, creative industries or digital spaces, we want to hear your story. Your experience matters. Whether you have been silenced, intimidated, excluded or threatened, or have found ways to resist, organise and keep going, your story deserves to be documented. You can share your experience through a short video, voice note, written narrative or social media thread. You may remain anonymous, request voice distortion or choose to be identified. Your safety and consent remain central to this process. Selected stories will contribute to The Living Archive, a collection documenting women's experiences of civic space from 2020 to date. They may also be adapted into videos, audio features, quote cards and story slides, amplifying women's voices through VSI's Feminist Hub and social media. 📅 Submission period: 12 October – 11 November 2026 🌍 Languages: English, Yoruba or Pidgin 📩 Email: [email redacted] 📱 Social media: @vsi_ng Your story is evidence. Your voice can strengthen solidarity, support accountability and contribute to the changes women deserve. It can also remind another woman that she is not alone. You do not have to be silent about what you have experienced. Help us document the realities of shrinking civic space and reclaim the voices that have been pushed aside. In solidarity, Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI) #womenreclaimingvoice #shrinkingcivicspace