Paper short abstract:

Do women's stories and conflict related experiences at the local level count as forms of knowledge production? How can participatory video be used to navigate leadership and development issues, to empower and give a voice to the voiceless in the Niger Delta?

Paper long abstract:

In thinking about the extent to which participatory methodologies opens up new insights and facilitates the processes of co-production of knowledge at the local level, my work highlights that although leadership happens everywhere, for most of the women in the Niger Delta it poses a major challenge. It is one where the toxic model of patriarchy and associated inequalities come to play. For example, even in communities where women are represented on the Community Development Committees (CDC), the reality is that such a leadership is in name only, women leaders are not empowered or given a voice in charting the development agendas of most of the communities. Young women in the communities I engaged with are asking for empowerment and also roles in the discussions in conflict settings. They argue for equal participation on a level platform being mothers, wives, sisters and as daughters. In particular issues such as fear, poverty, violence against women and girls, inequalities, relegation of women, as well as resource related environmental issues are depicted using the women's own voices. Perhaps more leadership opportunities for women in the region could lead to changes in personal and collective values and also behaviour towards improving and entrenching nonviolence in addressing the Niger Delta issues. In this project, I used participatory videos to document local women's experiences, needs and hopes from their own perspectives in relation to developmental issues and conflict. This captured an 'insider view' in a lively way that is accessible to diverse audiences.