AGILE project trains 65 focal persons to tackle GBV in Sokoto

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The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment Project has commenced the training of 65 focal persons to strengthen their ability to handle grievances and cases of gender-based violence.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the training focuses on the Grievance Redress Mechanism targeting traditional rulers, religious leaders, education officers and community stakeholders.

The Sokoto State Coordinator of AGILE, Dr Mansur Buhari, said the initiative was designed to ensure that all grievances arising from Schools and host communities would be properly managed to prevent escalation.

“Our intention is to train focal persons across the 23 local government areas so they can step down the training to schools levels and GRM officers.

“This mechanism ensures that any complaint—whether related to gender-based violence, safety or general schools’ concern is handled promptly and professionally.

“With the current security realities in schools, we need structures that allow intelligence and complaints to be managed early before issues worsen,” he said.

Buhari added that traditional rulers were deliberately involved because of their influence at the grassroots. “Whenever we have a message for the communities, we work with the traditional institutions to make sure it gets to the people directly,” he said.

Also speaking, the National GRM Officer for AGILE, Emmanuel Erinms, said the initiative was to support the state’s project implementation unit to facilitate how to obtain complaints and resolve them without disrupting the implementation of the project.

“Our goal is to make sure every stakeholder understands the channels available for lodging grievances and how they can be addressed amicably,” he said.

The state’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Ladan Ala, reiterated the state government’s commitment to strengthening the education sector through reforms and innovations.

The commissioner, represented by the Director of Administration of the ministry, Alhaji Umar Salame, noted that government teams had recently visited schools in Binji, Isa and Bodinga as part of broader monitoring efforts.

Earlier, the District Head of Shuni, who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers at the event, commended AGILE for its efforts and pledged continued support of the traditional institution to ensure the project succeeds.

The Executive Secretary of the Female Education Board, Prof. Mustapha Namakka, said the workshop aligned with the board’s annual activities aimed at addressing challenges affecting women and adolescent girls.

He commended the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, for consistently supporting initiatives that promote the education and welfare of girls in the state.

NAN

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