Stakeholders in Jigawa State have expressed serious concern over the growing cases of gender-based violence, describing the situation as alarming and a major threat to the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of women and girls.
The concern was raised during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting organised by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in partnership with the Male Feminist Network (MFN) project. The meeting, supported by the Ford Foundation through the Centre for Leadership, Strategy, and Development (Centre-LSD), took place on Wednesday, the 15th of October, 2025, at True Run Plaza, Dutse.
Participants at the event linked the rising trend of gender-based violence to poverty and illiteracy, noting that these factors fuel harmful behaviors and make women more vulnerable.
They further attributed two-thirds of the problem to men, citing negligence of family and social responsibilities as major causes of abuse and emotional harm to victims.
“There is a need for proper counseling for men before marriage so they can fully understand their responsibilities as husbands. This can play a key role in reducing gender-based violence, much of which stems from divorce and the breakdown of families,” they said.
The stakeholders also stressed that both Islam and Christianity clearly protect women and children, who often suffer most from gender-based violence.
“There is need for our Imams and pastors to include the issue of gender-based violence in their sermons and services for men who are key actors to know more about religious views on the problem,” they added.
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They urged the Jigawa State government to fully implement the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act to curb violence in homes and public spaces.
In his welcome remarks, Muhammad Sani Sa’idu, MFN Project Officer, said the meeting’s theme, “Men as Protectors, Not Perpetrators: Promoting Faith, Culture, and Justice to End Gender-Based Violence,” reflects the need for men to take responsibility in ending abuse.
He lamented that men, who should act as protectors of women, have now become the main perpetrators of gender-based violence, calling for collective efforts to reverse the trend.