GBV: Foundation’s Justice Systems Framework Integrated Into Kano Response Architecture

…As multi-agency taskforce becomes operational across state

The Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Justice Systems Reform Framework developed by Lift Africa Foundation has been formally integrated into coordinated government response structures in Kano State, marking a shift from fragmented institutional responses to a unified case management and accountability system across justice, health, and social protection sectors.

The framework, which was previously piloted across Madobi, Kura, and Kiru Local Government Areas of the State, is now operational across participating state institutions and has been adopted as the coordinating structure guiding GBV case handling across law enforcement, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women Affairs, and social protection agencies.

A multi-agency GBV Response Taskforce has been established as the central coordination mechanism for the system. The taskforce now oversees standardised case flow management, inter-agency referral compliance, and end-to-end tracking of GBV cases from reporting through investigation, prosecution, and survivor support services.

According to Aisha Hamman, Founder of Lift Africa Foundation, the development represents a transition from pilot reform to institutionalized government operating practice.

“What has been achieved is system redesign. The GBV response is no longer fragmented across agencies. It now operates through a unified coordination framework that governs how cases are processed from first report to prosecution and survivor support,” she said.

System Components now operational across Kano State include: a formal multi-agency GBV Response Taskforce functioning as the central coordination structure for all cases; adoption of structured referral pathways across police, health, legal aid, and social protection institutions; standardised GBV case tracking and reporting protocols across participating agencies; integrated information sharing between investigation, medical documentation, and prosecution units; and institutional rollout of the Justice Systems Framework across Madobi, Kura, and Kiru LGAs as functional implementation nodes within the state-wide system.

Justice sector actors confirmed that case handling is now coordinated through defined inter-agency workflows, reducing delays previously caused by fragmented reporting structures and improving continuity between investigation and prosecution stages.

Health sector actors report improved timeliness of survivor referrals and better alignment between forensic medical documentation and evidentiary requirements for prosecution.

Social protection institutions are now embedded within the case response architecture, ensuring survivors are linked to psychosocial support, legal aid, and protection services as part of a structured response system rather than ad hoc referrals.

Stakeholders described the framework as replacing previously siloed institutional responses with a coordinated, state-wide GBV case management system that standardises accountability across sectors.

Government actors involved in implementation have noted improved coordination efficiency and clearer delineation of institutional responsibilities within the new structure.

This transition marks the institutionalisation of a unified GBV response architecture in Kano State, shifting from project-based interventions to a structured governance system embedded within public sector operations.