Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement Program

The objective of the Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) program is to strengthen civil society's ability to influence the development and implementation of key democratic reforms at the national, state, and local levels. The program will support increased engagement and efficacy of civil society to be able to influence public institutions whose function it is to serve citizens' interests. This will be achieved through strategic partnerships between civil society coalitions and networks (formal or informal) on the one hand and other critical stakeholders in Nigerian society on the other. The latter includes the media, reform-minded Government of Nigeria (GON) institutions or representatives, private sector actors, influential public figures, as well as other key stakeholders in the target area, such as grass-roots organizations, professional associations, youth groups, etc. The program will also explicitly aim to engage marginalized populations, such as women, youth, and the disabled in the process and emphasize the importance of leadership and innovation.