Etinosa Yvonne

For her section of the exhibition, Etinosa Yvonne partnered with women in Nigeria who are advocating for women’s rights and equality in their communities.

Etinosa says she joined Women By Women to highlight the women she believed needed to be celebrated, supported, acknowledged and empowered. For her, being a woman photographing another woman creates a special connection.

Grace became an inspiration to women in her community after she successfully mounted a legal bid to hold onto her property after her husband died in 2009. She says it is common for the husband’s family to claim property if a man dies without a son, and because she has daughters, her brothers-in-law began harassing her to give up her family home and assets.

After seeking support from Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Grace’s case was finally resolved in 2016. Lawyers from WACOL visited the disputed land and drew up an agreement to divide the assets and she hasn’t heard from her in-laws since. Now, she supports other women in her community to stand up for their rights, like she did.

Bose Ironsi is the founder and executive director of the Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), a grassroots organisation that provides counselling and legal information for survivors of gender-based violence across Lagos, Nigeria. The project started in 2008 with just two staff members. It has since expanded across the city, and its counselling and support service has worked with over 500 survivors.