The Kano State Government on Monday described the launch of a grandmother-led initiative to combat Gender-based Violence as a timely intervention aligned with the state government’s priorities on women’s inclusion and protection.
The Kano State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and Persons with Special Needs, Amina Sani, made this known during the unveiling of the Grannies Network for Change in Kano, according to a statement issued by the Executive Director of the Development Research and Projects Centre, Dr Judith-Ann Walker.
“This project is timely and unique. It aligns with the efforts of the Kano State Government to actively engage women in policy decisions and implementation,” she was quoted as saying.
The statement noted that the initiative, to be implemented in Kano and Jigawa states, is designed as a generational intervention to mobilise grandmothers as advocates against the rising cases of GBV in northern Nigeria.
“The initiative is designed as a generational intervention to mobilise grandmothers as advocates against the rising cases of gender-based violence in northern Nigeria,” the statement said.
It added that the programme targets key drivers of GBV, particularly the denial of women’s economic rights, which contributes to poor girls’ education, school dropouts, and early marriages.
“Economic rights restrictions stand at 22 per cent nationally, but rise to 40 per cent in Kano and 42 per cent in Jigawa, highlighting the scale of the challenge in the region,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the project will adopt an intergenerational approach by engaging youth and working with male allies, including village heads and Imams, to drive behavioural change and shift harmful gender norms.
In its first year, the statement said the project will be implemented in six communities in Kano State, and four in Jigawa State, focusing on areas where women face economic marginalisation and girls’ education is not prioritised.
“The project will be implemented in six communities in Kano State, and four in Jigawa State, focusing on areas where women face economic marginalisation and girls’ education is not prioritised,” it added.
The statement further disclosed that selected communities will involve local leaders and religious figures who will receive training to engage men through mosques and community platforms, while radio programmes will be used to reach grandmothers and strengthen their influence on family decisions.
It emphasised that the overall goal is to position grandmothers as strong voices for GBV prevention, women’s economic empowerment, and the promotion of girls’ education in Kano and Jigawa states.
