The Kaduna State House of Assembly has begun the legislative process on a bill seeking to establish and regulate safe spaces in schools as part of efforts to promote girl-child enrolment, retention, and empowerment across the state.
Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Mahmud Lawal, disclosed this on Friday at the maiden Girls’ Education Summit held in Zaria.
The summit, organised by the Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE), was held to commemorate the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
Lawal explained that the proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for a Law for Safe Spaces in Kaduna State, 2025,” aims to institutionalize the safe space approach in schools by providing a legal framework for their establishment and regulation.
According to him, the bill seeks to protect individuals from harassment and discrimination, promote inclusiveness, and create a governance structure that ensures standard training, reporting mechanisms, and enforcement tools for effective implementation.
Earlier, the Director, Centre for Girls’ Education, Hajiya Habiba Mohammad, said the summit was organized to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child and to amplify the voices of girls as agents of change.
She said the theme of the event ‘the girl I am; the change I lead; girls on the frontlines of crises’ shines a spotlight on the remarkable girls who are leading change in the face of adversity.
She added that in time of crisis, girls often face disproportionate challenges. They may be forced to drop out of school, face early marriage or became vulnerable to exploitation.
“At the Centre for Girls’ Education, we believe education is a powerful tool for girls to become leaders and transform their communities.
“Through our programs, we empower girls and young women with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to drive positive change,” she said.
Mohammed noted that the proposed bill by the Kaduna State Assembly would complement the Centre’s life-skills initiatives currently implemented in schools and help institutionalize them in the state’s education calendar.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, commended the theme of the summit, describing it as timely and relevant to the global challenges confronting the girl-child.
He expressed concern that statistics still show that one in four girls in the region gets married before the age of 18 and that girls continue to face unequal educational opportunities compared to boys.
“These are serious concerns that require urgent attention from all stakeholders,” Ahmed said.
He noted that ABU was prioritizing girls’ education, stressing that in the last academic session, females accounted for nearly 42 percent of newly admitted students.
“We want to continue improving this figure in subsequent admissions,” the VC said.
He appealed to the government and other key stakeholders in the sector to increase investment in education to ensure more girls are enrolled and retained in schools.
COV/ Ibrahim Suleiman
