Our Story

Drawing its name and spirit from this majestic sentinel, Baobab for Women's Human
Rights (BAOBAB) is a Nigerian feminist organization on a mission to transform the very
foundations of society for women and girls. BAOBAB's work mirrors the baobab's form:
the deep roots symbolize the foundational research and capacity-building that anchor its
efforts; the expansive, far-reaching branches represent its collaborative networks and
broad advocacy; and the life-giving fruit of the tree—the tangible results of its
work—nourishes and empowers women, ensuring their rights are not merely written but
lived. A testament to this widespread influence, BAOBAB's grassroots efforts are
powered by a dedicated network of volunteers across all six of Nigeria's geo-political
zones.

Timeline of our progression

3-years Research Project

1993 - 1996

Coordinated by the international solidarity network of Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML), a multidisciplinary team of professionals conducted research on Women and Laws, with a focus on the means which secular and customary laws and practices interact with Muslim laws and practices. The project covered Muslim jurisprudence, the history of Muslim laws in Nigeria, Sharia court judgments, customary/traditional and daily practices in diverse communities across Nigeria.

Baobab's establishment

1996

The organization pioneered the struggle for women's legal rights under the three (3) parallel systems of law in Nigeria - customary, religious and statutory - as an intervention strategy to address the myriad of barriers to the actualization of the rights of women in all its forms, especially in Muslim majority communities.

Regional coordinator of WLUML

Until 2006, BAOBAB was the regional coordinator of the International Solidarity Network of Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) in Africa and the Middle East

1996 - 2006

Nigerian Partner & regional coordinator for WLP

Between 2000 and 2013, Baobab served as the Nigerian Partner and Sub-Saharan Africa’s Regional Coordinator of Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development and Peace (WLP).

2000 - 2013

Co-coordinator of NFF

From the inception in 2007 until 2013, Baobab was the co-coordinator of the Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF)

2007 -2013