Our History, Mission, Structure & Leadership
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) was founded in 1964 following the Second Vatican Council's call for greater lay participation in the Church. Pioneering women from across Nigeria came together to form a body that would unite Catholic women in prayer, service, and sisterhood.
From its modest beginnings as a small apostolic movement, CWON has grown into the largest Catholic women's organization in Africa, with chapters in all 56 Catholic dioceses across Nigeria's 36 states and FCT.
Today, CWON stands as a powerful voice for Catholic women โ in the Church, in the home, and in the public square โ guided always by the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To unite Catholic women in Nigeria in a common bond of faith and charity; to promote their spiritual, intellectual, social, and economic development; to defend the dignity of women and the family; and to collaborate in the evangelizing mission of the Church.
A Nigeria where every Catholic woman is empowered in faith, equipped with knowledge, engaged in service, and elevated in dignity โ reflecting the grace and strength of the Blessed Virgin Mary in every sphere of life.