IMAMS IN KADUNA,KANO TRAINED ON ISLAMIC VIEWPOINTS TO PREVENT GBV
Ahmad Abdullahi, the project coordinator for dRPC, stated during the two-day training and discussion, which was organized in collaboration with the Ford Foundation’s West Africa office, that the program’s goal is to enable religious leaders to speak out against GBV across Northern Nigeria.
Abdullahi clarified that by advancing Islamic principles that shield women and girls from abuse, the project uses the power and influence of imams to subvert detrimental societal norms.
“With this initiative, we empower MOLs to use Islamic teachings to counter harmful cultural practices and engage them as advocates for GBV prevention,” he stated.
Participants in the course participated in a peer-to-peer study tour in Egypt, where they interacted with prestigious Islamic establishments such as the Grand Mufti’s office and Al-Azhar University.
Imams of Friday mosques in the states of Kaduna and Kano are currently receiving the knowledge gained from these discussions, which will enable them to instruct their communities on how to safeguard women and girls in accordance with Islamic law.
Ahmad Auwalu, the Kano State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, praised the project and emphasized its focus on Islamic viewpoints that aim to protect women and children from all types of violence, including psychological, sexual, and domestic abuse.
He pointed out that the 40 imams who have received training—many of them come from remote regions where women’s rights are not well known—are in a unique position to disseminate this knowledge.
Auwalu further clarified that Islam does not favor men over women in order to dispel misconceptions about the religion in local communities.
He said he hoped the training would encourage a more accurate knowledge of women’s and children’s rights.
The director of Bayero institution’s Centre for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue, Dr. Toafik Hussain, stated that the institution and dRPC had inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve religious leaders’ comprehension of GBV from both modern and Islamic viewpoints.
