Social development strategies of a non-governmental grassroots women's organisation in Nigeria

Social development initiatives of rural and poor urban women in Africa are efforts that redress the post-colonial economic development planning oversi ghts of many African nations. Grass roots movements are responsive initiati ves that have provided rural women with bottom-up management and planning o pportunities focused on quality of life issues for themselves, their famili es, the community, and, ultimately, the nation. Since 1982, Country Women's Association of Nigeria (COWAN), a non-governmental organisation, has addre ssed the needs of rural and urban poor women through economic activities th at have empowered them and increased their levels of self-sufficiency. With COWAN's emphasis on popular participation and indigenous leadership, macro -community development practices are employed, as is the recognition of ind ividual and collective skills and talents. Social workers of today should b e aware of commonalities that exists in the struggles of these and other Th ird World women, for their struggles are not unlike those of oppressed grou ps found in the USA and other developed countries.