These Women-Centered Spaces Provide Year Round Community For Women

Discussions on gender pay gaps, underrepresentation and the general stifling of women’s career growth as a result of a patriarchal society are commonplace when the subject of women’s welfare is raised. Corporations seek to empower women through conferences, campaigns and panels celebrating the accomplishments of outstanding women within various sectors while imparting knowledge, especially during holidays like International Women’s Month. As these holidays come to an end, however, so do these campaigns and panels. It is therefore imperative that throughout the year, there exist spaces outside of the corporate world where women can create, commune, celebrate or simply just be.

Here are five women-centered spaces providing community for women throughout the year. 

Femme Fest

Referred to as Africa’s biggest celebration of women, Femme Fest was created by Femme Africa to center the voices of female creatives, from performing artists to small business owners who have historically been sidelined in the heavily patriarchal creative scene. The festival which occurs once a year, is an all-day celebration of women, which aims to shine a light on these women and to bridge the gap between female creatives and their male counterparts. The festival is chock-full of activity, providing attendees with a variety to choose from – there is a vendor village where attendees can shop from a variety of women owned brands such as Rekoja and Amari Hair Care, panels and workshops where attendees can learn various skills and gain insight from more established women in their respective fields, a beauty market and an express station which includes interactive activities like henna, tattoos, hair consultation and candle making. Arguably, the highlight of the festival is the live show which showcases an all-female lineup, consisting of emerging female talent and established acts. The Femme Fest stage has seen some of our favorite acts including Ayra Starr, Lady Donli, Bloody Civilian, Qing Madi and Tems who performed at the very first showcase in 2018. If you are a lover of music, be sure to stick around for the Femme Fest After Hours party with live DJ performances from a lineup of talented female DJs which has included sets from the likes of DJ Honeeay, DJ Dayzee, and DJ Sensei Lo. 

HERtitude

Created “for hot babes”, HERtitude was launched in 2022 to provide a comfortable space for women from a variety of backgrounds to let their hair down and have fun. While other spaces might be more skill, wellness or education focused with workshops and panels, HERtitude exists for women to celebrate and just be. The ultimate women’s day out, the event boasts vendors including piercing and tattoo stations, fashion shows, live music performances and games designed for women to release their inner child and have a ball while forming connections and building friendships with other attendees. If you are inclined to entertain, the event gives you a chance to do so, as a participant in the HERtitude Talent Search, which gives creatives an opportunity to showcase their performing skills on the HERtitude stage. This year’s installation coming up on the 26th of April will mark the fourth edition of the programme, with the theme: “Retro Glam”. Attendees are encouraged to wear clothes embodying the glitz and bold energy of the 70s, 80s and beyond for a celebration of girlhood and style through the years.

Yar’Uwa Sessions

The brain-child of multifaceted musician Lady Donli, ‘Yar’Uwa’ – a Hausa word which which loosely translates to ‘sister’ – is creating a safe space for young female creatives to get their foot in the door, with a support system to guide and assist them in the creative industry within which women are disproportionately underrepresented. Launched in January 2025, the sessions take place every two months in the form of a mixer divided into three segments – first there are ice-breakers and card games to ease attendees into the programme and to establish rapport amongst women who may otherwise find it hard to open up. Secondly, there is the more structured discussion segment where topics are distributed for group discussion and talks are given by the moderators of the event. Emphasis is placed on collaboration and a DIY mindset which empowers women to learn and perfect as many skills as possible while keeping in mind the difference between collaboration and co-opting. Finally, there is food, drinks and mingling where attendees are encouraged to have relaxed conversations with each other, in the absence of the pressure that can be mounted by a more formal atmosphere.   

Ere Wellness Women’s Community

This community focuses on women’s physical, sexual and mental health, offering a range of workshops and talks including discussions on self esteem, body image and other topics incidental to the wellness of women in fun and interactive ways aimed at fostering community and de-stigmatizing topics that women might find generally difficult to talk about. Potlucks, picnics and sip and paints featuring their famous conversation cards are just a few of the imaginative ways this community furthers their goal of improving women’s wellness through community. Others include their Health Hub event which combines networking with health awareness and provides an opportunity for women to take health tests that they might not be opportune to take otherwise, such as pap smears and breast scans. They also have virtual events where attendees can anonymously ask a doctor or therapist questions that might otherwise prove difficult to communicate and have launched a Mental Health Directory to provide women with readily available access to professional help. 

Women’s Group Lagos

 If you are a woman in search of a community of voracious readers, this is a community for you. With monthly book club meetings, book swaps and open mic night “Poetry is not a Luxury”, this community provides a space where the love of literature blooms and the bookworms can commune and dissect stories together. In addition to the book related activities, the Women’s Group also has a Rest day, dedicated to pausing and restoring with the community and an end of year social where attendees of their events throughout the year can come together and celebrate.