Bayero University Kano (BUK) and the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) have agreed to partner in advancing the protection of girls’ and women’s rights in Nigeria.
The Vice-Chancellor of BUK, Prof. Haruna Musa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Kano during a dialogue themed “Affirming the Contribution of Culture and Faith Institutions to the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in Northern Nigeria.”
The event, organised by WRAPA in collaboration with the BUK Centre for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID), brought together cultural and faith leaders, scholars, and rights advocates to explore collaborative ways of addressing gender-based violence in Northern Nigeria.
Prof. Musa noted that the university has remained at the forefront of promoting women’s empowerment through various initiatives, particularly the establishment of the Centre for Gender Studies, which has implemented impactful programmes over the past decade.
He revealed that the centre is marking its 10th anniversary with notable achievements and reiterated the university’s readiness to collaborate with stakeholders committed to uplifting women to global standards.
On her part, the Secretary-General of WRAPA, Hajiya Saudat Shehu-Mahdi, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to empowering women and girls to understand and defend their rights.
According to her, the objective of the session was “to affirm the role of cultural and faith leaders as proactive enablers of women’s rights, while promoting accountability toward achieving a society where women and girls live free from violence.”
Participants at the dialogue—including the representative of the Sultan of Sokoto and Sarkin Yakin Gabas, Alhaji Sani Umar, and the representative of Sheikh Karibullah Nasiru Kabara, Dr. Hamisu Umar-Takakmawa—described the engagement as timely and impactful.
The event featured panel discussions, a gallery walk, an action roadmap, and networking activities aimed at fostering collective action to end gender-based violence in Northern Nigeria.
