Bauchi Govt Empowers Women To Tackle SGBV, Drug Abuse

The Bauchi State Office of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has sensitised women and mothers on violence against women.

LEADERSHIP reports that the workshop, themed “Empowered Women, Empowered Communities: Breaking Barriers, Growing Futures,” also included the disbursement of empowerment grants to over 1,000 women engaged in small-scale enterprises across the state.

Bauchi governor’s wife, Hajiya Aishatu Bala Mohammed, emphasised the critical role of women’s empowerment in driving societal progress. She noted that the grant disbursement aims to alleviate economic challenges faced by many women and bolster their entrepreneurial ventures.

“This initiative ensures that every citizen, regardless of gender, benefits from the dividends of democracy through access to education, health, and other essential services,” the first lady remarked.

She further explained the administration’s broader goals of poverty eradication, job creation, and fostering inclusive growth as pillars of its developmental agenda.

Director General of the Bauchi State Agency for Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Lydia John, commended the state government’s commitment to empowering women.

She noted the importance of achieving the SDGs to address challenges disproportionately affecting women in northern Nigeria. “Poverty wears the face of a woman, and sustainable development is impossible if nearly half of the population is left behind,” she stated, aligning the initiative with the SDGs’ motto, ‘Leave No One Behind.’

Dr Lydia said the workshop also served as a platform to raise awareness about the dangers of GBV and drug abuse, both of which significantly impact women and girls in the region.