The Executive Director of Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI), Sr. Francisca Ngozi Uti, participated in the 2026 Catholic Sisters Initiative Convening held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The global gathering, convened by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, brought together over 130 religious sisters from across the world to reflect, share experiences, and strengthen collective action towards advancing social transformation and the common good.
Sr. Francisca Ngozi Uti participated as a panelist during a session focused on Advocacy and Communication, where she highlighted the transformative power of strategic advocacy and effective communication in addressing persistent social challenges and influencing positive change.
Drawing from CWSI’s extensive experience, Sr. Francisca Ngozi Uti, shared how the organisation has strategically leveraged advocacy and communication to amplify the voices of women, girls, and vulnerable groups while driving change on critical issues such as gender-based violence, child, early and forced marriage, climate security, and other social justice concerns.
She emphasised that advocacy goes beyond raising awareness; it involves building movements, influencing systems, shaping public conversations, and creating pathways for communities to claim their rights and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives.
The convening provided an opportunity for Catholic sisters from different parts of the world to exchange knowledge, learn from one another’s ministries, and explore innovative approaches to strengthening communities. Discussions centred on solidarity, human dignity, community transformation, storytelling, advocacy for the common good, and collaborative responses to emerging social challenges.
Through shared experiences and collective reflection, participants were encouraged to continue fostering partnerships and strengthening their commitment to creating lasting impact within their communities and beyond.
