Borno State Government in partnership with Kano State has sponsored 200 girls orphaned by the decade-long insurgency for the continuation of their studies in Kano State.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo who made this known when members of ‘HeforShe’ Gender Champions paid her an advocacy visit in Maiduguri, said the initiative was to promote girl-child education and increase enrollment of females into primary, secondary and tertiary education to bridge the existing knowledge gap.
“We have a lot of our daughters who were abandoned because of the insurgency, once they show some level of intelligence, being an orphan is not a barrier to education in Borno and that is why even the mega schools, sixty percent of the admission slots is being reserved for the girl child in Borno state”, she said.
Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo remarked that women in Internally Displaced Person camps and host communities have been consistently empowered to allow their daughters to continue schooling.
According to her, women have been overburdened due to the Boko-Haram insurgency which necessitates effort to engage them in small businesses and agricultural activities to equip them to meet their immediate needs.
The Commissioner also observed that there has been significant improvement in the number of reported cases of gender-based violence in the state, achieved due to support and encouragement given to victims by the ministry, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders.
A member of the Gender Champions Comrade, Mai Bukar Galtimari advocated for the establishment of a gender desk that will be responsible for gender mainstreaming and technical support to other ministries.
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