By Amina Samuel, Kaduna

Leading organisations across Kaduna State came together in a powerful show of solidarity to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations.

The event, held at the Jam’iyyar Matan Arewa Secretariat, focused on the theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” with a call to “Accelerate Action” to advance gender equality.

The gathering underscored a collective commitment to legal awareness, economic empowerment, and advocacy efforts aimed at improving women’s access to justice, financial independence, and leadership opportunities.

In a statement signed by Saadatu Hamma of the Kaduna Multi-Door Courthouse, speaking on behalf of the IWD 2025 collaboration partners, the event featured a series of key discussions, including advocacy sessions, legal awareness programmes, and policy dialogues.

Empowering Women Through Key Discussions

During the Legal Awareness & Access to Justice session, experts from the legal and dispute resolution sectors educated women on their rights and the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in addressing matrimonial, inheritance, and workplace conflicts.

On Economic Empowerment, business and entrepreneurship discussions provided women with practical tools to navigate financial challenges, particularly in light of the current economic climate.

The role of the media in advancing women’s rights was also a focus, as journalists and media organisations played a key part in Media & Advocacy, ensuring that critical gender-related issues remain at the forefront of public discourse.

Additionally, Community Engagement was a core component of the celebration, fostering connections between organisations and grassroots initiatives to reinforce a strong support network for women in Kaduna.

This year’s IWD celebrations in Kaduna demonstrated the power of partnerships in driving real change. Each participating organisation brought unique expertise, resources, and advocacy efforts to the table, ensuring that the message of empowerment reached diverse communities.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken a significant step towards guaranteeing a smooth and transparent electoral process for the 2027 general elections with the inauguration of the Election Project Plan Committee (EPPC).

The Commission announced this development in a statement on its website on Wednesday. The committee, tasked with formulating a strategic framework for the elections, was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, 11th March 2025, at the INEC Conference Hall in Abuja.

Chaired by Professor Rhoda H. Gumus, the committee is mandated to create a comprehensive roadmap for conducting the elections. Its responsibilities include reviewing the Terms of Reference, developing a Work Plan, establishing sub-committees, designing an Elections Project Plan (EPP) Template, and setting submission deadlines for planning documents.

In her address during the inauguration, Professor Gumus highlighted the vital role of early planning in strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.

She stated, “The significance of early planning cannot be overstated when it comes to ensuring a seamless electoral process. I urge all committee members to diligently fulfil their responsibilities to uphold electoral integrity and transparency.”

The committee comprises several senior INEC officials, including:
1. Mr. Kenneth Ukeagu – Chair, Tenders Board (Member)
2. Dr. Baba Bila – Chair, EOLC (Member)
3. Mr. Sam Olumekun – Chair, EPMC (Member)
4. Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru – Chair, BEI (Member)
5.

By Amos Tauna, Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has expressed its appreciation to the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, in partnership with the Back to School Initiative, for their commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for girls from low-income backgrounds.

Professor Usman Abubakar Zaria, the Director General of the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority, made this statement during an advocacy visit from the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria and the Back to School Initiative, aimed at improving access to education for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.

He stated that improving education in the state would significantly contribute to reducing social vices, emphasising his strong belief in the initiative to ensure that girls from low-income families receive the education they deserve, both in the state and across the country.

The Director General highlighted that last year, the state government covered the Junior WAEC examination fees for 136,000 students, and this year, a further 173,000 junior students will benefit from this government policy aimed at raising educational standards in the state.

He further explained that the state government has implemented policies to eliminate obstacles that hinder the revitalisation of education in the region.

Reverend John Joseph Hayab, Country Director of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, assured that they would continue their efforts to enhance quality education for all, particularly for children from low-income backgrounds, enabling them to fully realise their academic potential.

He added, “We recognise that many students who could have completed their secondary education have been unable to do so, which has prompted civil society to advocate for the Kaduna State Government to reinstate the policy of assisting students from low-income backgrounds in exploring their full potential in society.