Kaduna State Government says it has allocated ₦5 billion in the 2025 budget to support the economic empowerment of 15,000 women through 750 registered women’s cooperatives across the state.
The Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Dr. Rabi Salisu, disclosed this during an interactive session with a delegation from the Muslim Opinion Leaders for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Northern Nigeria project in Kaduna.
The initiative is anchored by the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) with support from the Ford Foundation and is implemented using Islamic perspectives, enriched by peer learning from a recent visit to Egypt.
Dr Rabi Salisu noted the disbursement of the fund would soon commence as arrangements has been concluded.
While Providing updates on the implementation of the Kaduna State Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy, Dr. Salisu revealed further that, over 5,000 women and girls have been trained in data science, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurial applications.
She further stated that 10,786 women have benefitted from the Women Economic Empowerment Fund, while 100 gasoline-powered grinding machines were distributed to assist in poverty alleviation efforts.
“These remarkable achievements reflect the progress made in mainstreaming GBV prevention into the state’s policies and programmes. The initiative seeks to reduce harm, improve safety, and promote gender equality,” she said.
“25 Gender-Based Violence perpetrators have been sentenced to death as part of ongoing efforts to fight the menace of GBV in the state”
The Commissioner commended Islamic scholars for their commitment to advocacy, behaviour change campaigns, and community sensitisation on GBV prevention”
“You may recall that when the WEE Policy was launched in November 2024, His Excellency approved a ₦5 billion intervention fund to ensure its implementation. I’m pleased to report that this commitment has been fulfilled, with the funds included in the 2025 budget,” she added.
Dr. Salisu highlighted that the implementation of the WEE Policy has recorded significant milestones, and the government remains committed to empowering women and fostering gender equality. She said mainstreaming GBV considerations is aimed at creating a safer and more inclusive environment for women and girls in Kaduna State.
To consolidate these efforts, the state has established a Technical Working Group comprising experts in legal affairs, empowerment, education, and social development to coordinate GBV prevention strategies and stakeholder engagement.
“We are currently developing a comprehensive state database to track, support, and rehabilitate survivors of gender-based violence,” she said.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Coordinator of the Muslim Opinion Leaders Project, Professor Taufiq Abubakar Hussain, said the visit was a high-level advocacy engagement to assess the status of WEE Policy implementation in Kaduna State, especially with regard to integrating GBV prevention strategies.
He noted that the delegation is reviewing progress, facilitating dialogue on mainstreaming GBV within the WEE framework, and identifying avenues for collaboration between the Ministry and religious leaders.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Kaduna State Bureau of Interfaith, Barrister Tahir Umar Tahir, congratulated Dr. Rabi Salisu on the completion of her PhD and urged her to use her expertise in addressing gender-based violence, which he described as a serious threat to societal values and women’s rights.
The representative of Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) Hassan Karofi pledged continued support for stakeholder engagement efforts and commended the Kaduna State Government for the remarkable progress recorded under the WEE Policy.
Aminu DALHATU
