Founded in 2018, Emerging Genderplus Outreach Team (EGOT) is a specialized non-profit organization dedicated to achieving SDG-5 (Gender Equality) within Nigeria’s most isolated and ecologically sensitive landscapes. We operate at the critical intersection of Gender Justice and Environmental Stewardship, providing a lifeline to women and girls in deep forest communities who are often invisible to mainstream protection services.

In the remote forest communities of Nigeria—such as the Ekuri forest in Akamkpa, Cross River State and the buffer zones of the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary—isolation is a multiplier of violence. Women and girls in these regions experience aggravated Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM) precisely because their geographical distance from urban centers limits their access to justice, medical response, and social safety nets.

At EGOT, we recognize that the woman is the primary steward of our communities and the forest. However, a woman cannot effectively protect her environment while living in fear of violence. We believe that communal safety and environmental conservation is unsustainable without gender justice. By addressing SGBV and securing the rights of women in these high-biodiversity zones, we empower the very people responsible for making our environment habitable. Our work ensures that women are safe to lead efforts in conservation, safety, livelihoods and community governance. We bridge the “justice gap” by bringing rights-based education and legal protection to the communities in the heart of the rainforest.