On June 18, leaders from three Nigerian unions participated in a training organized by PSI with support from Union to Union (U2U) and Swedish affiliate, ASSR. The workshop equipped unionists with tools to mobilize for vulnerable populations. Participants explored workers’ collective power, strategies for organizing women in crisis settings, and the vital role of frontline health workers in emergencies. A key focus was the Charter of Rights for IDPs, which outlines protections for displaced workers and host communities. The training taught participants how unions can fight for quality public services, especially healthcare in areas where people are displaced or communities that serve as host communities for victims of displacement. 

The participating unions include leaders from the Trade Union of Nigeria (TUC) Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Medical and Health Workers' Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), and Non Academic Staff Union (NASU).

On June 19, the team had an advocacy meeting with the Yobe state Head of Service. Discussions were on the dignity of workers, especially the health workers serving local and host communities, who are largely CHWs. He committed to always open his doors to workers whenever they knock regarding the negotiation of their wages and conditions of service. He also expressed excitement that Yobe state is the first state in Nigeria that domesticated the National IDP policy. 

we thank your organisation for providing these antenatal drugs. I am also going to benefit from it because I am pregnant. So thank you.

In marking World Refugee Day, the unions carried out solidarity visits to the Dikumari community. With official IDP camps closed by the government, displaced families now rely on host communities for survival. The team visited Dikumari Primary Healthcare Centre, delivering essential medicines and vaccines to boost the facility’s capacity. They also distributed food supplies to pregnant women and children, whose needs are often overlooked in crises. 

In response to the donations, Halima Adamu, the clinic officer-in-charge, said, we thank your organisation for providing these antenatal drugs. I am also going to benefit from it because I am pregnant. So thank you.

Later in the day, the unions hosted a live radio dialogue on Yobe Broadcasting Corporation (YBC), where survivors of insurgency and those who sheltered them shared harrowing stories of loss and resilience. One of the radio callers echoed that: “We must keep supporting each other and showing solidarity in challenging times." The broadcast amplified the day’s theme of solidarity with refugees while spotlighting unions’ commitment to justice.

By combining advocacy training with direct community outreach / aid, the unions are building lasting networks to protect displaced workers and strengthen host communities. The next phase will see trained leaders replicate these efforts in other conflict-impacted states, ensuring healthcare access and dignified work for all. As one MHWUN member puts it: “Our power grows when we stand with the powerless.”