LEADING THE CHARGE FOR RURAL WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT IN NIGER

It is only recently, at age 36, that Saoudé Garba has felt in charge of her own life. Born in southern Niger, she was married early to one of the three chiefs of the village. She had her first child at the age of 15, followed by eight more, without any medical assistance during her pregnancies and childbirth. As is tradition in her village, her life consisted of cooking, cleaning and doing household chores. Saoudé and the other women in her village were not aware that they had rights, let alone that they could exercise.