The Economic and Social Empowerment of Rural Communities (ESERC) is proud to announce its engagement by the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) as a Sub-Recipient to implement the Nigeria Survey on Gender Norms, Attitudes, Health, and Well-being in Ebonyi State.
The announcement was made during the five-day Inception Training held in Abuja from 18–22 August 2025, which brought together implementing partners from across the country to prepare for the successful execution of the project.
The initiative is funded by the Gates Foundation, with the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) serving as the Principal Recipient. The project seeks to generate robust evidence on gender norms and adolescent well-being to inform policies and programmes that promote gender equality and improve the lives of young people across Nigeria.
A major component of the project is the Social Norms Exploration (SNE) Survey, an innovative research exercise designed to deepen understanding of how social and gender norms influence the lives of Very Young Adolescents (10–14 years) and the people who shape their experiences, including parents, caregivers, teachers, and other community influencers.
The survey will examine prevailing attitudes toward gender roles, relationships, health, emotional well-being, and decision-making, while identifying the social and cultural factors that influence the development of adolescents during this critical stage of life. The findings will provide valuable evidence for designing interventions that are responsive to the realities and needs of young adolescents and their communities.
As the implementing organization in Ebonyi State, ESERC will work closely with communities, stakeholders, and research partners to ensure that data collection is conducted ethically, professionally, and in accordance with the highest standards of research quality and participant protection.
This engagement represents another significant milestone in ESERC’s growing portfolio of evidence-based development programming. It reflects the organization’s expertise in community engagement, gender equality, research implementation, and stakeholder collaboration.
ESERC extends its appreciation to the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) and the Gates Foundation for the confidence placed in the organization to contribute to this important national initiative. The organization remains committed to generating high-quality evidence that will support informed decision-making, strengthen gender-responsive programming, and improve the health, well-being, and future opportunities of adolescents across Nigeria.
Through strategic partnerships and evidence-driven interventions, ESERC continues to advance its mission of empowering communities, promoting gender equality, and contributing to sustainable development through research, innovation, and collaboration.
