Sokoto Govt. reaffirms support for widows, orphans

By Habibu Harisu

The Sokoto State Government has pledged stronger collaboration with community-based organisations, UN Women, and donor agencies to support sustainable livelihood programmes for widows and orphans.

The assurance was given on Thursday by Hajia Hauwa’u Umar-Jabo, Director of Women in the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, during an awareness programme on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention in Sokoto.

The event also marked the commemoration of International Widows Day in Bodinga Local Government Area (LGA).

She emphasised the need for gender-sensitive policies, elimination of harmful traditional practices, and economic empowerment through skills training and access to resources.

The event, themed “Empowering Widows, Building Resilience, and Restoring Dignity,” also served as a platform for widows to share their experiences and advocate for inclusion and social justice.

Umar-Jabo further called on community groups, Non-Governmental Organisations, and institutions to promote economic opportunities for widows and strengthen solidarity within communities.

She also educated participants on key issues such as Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Family Planning, and Harmful Practices including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early child marriage.

In her presentation, Gender Specialist Mrs A’isha Muhammad stressed the need for policy reforms to safeguard widows’ rights and called for continued collaboration to turn advocacy into concrete improvements.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) says more than 50 widows participated in the event, which featured discussions on rights, inclusion, empowerment, and the challenges widows face.

(NAN)