The Niger State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, in partnership with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, convened a one-day collaborative meeting with Gender-Based Violence (GBV) service providers on Saturday in Minna.
The meeting culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the parties to enhance coordinated efforts in addressing GBV within schools and communities.
Held at Yayi Hotels, the event brought together stakeholders from across the 25 local government areas of the state. Seventy-five service providers and partners attended the meeting, which focused on integrating GBV response into the state’s education framework.
In her keynote address, AGILE’s State Project Coordinator, Hajiya Maimunat Ibrahim Tahir, said the collaboration marked a formal commitment to safeguarding adolescent girls’ rights to education and safety. She described GBV as a significant barrier to education for many girls and stated that the project was designed to address such structural challenges.
“Today, we gathered not only to coordinate our efforts but to formally solidify our partnership,” she said. “The signing of the MoU symbolizes our shared resolve to integrate GBV prevention and response services into AGILE’s education ecosystem, strengthen referral pathways for survivors, and create safer school environments.”
Tahir added that GBV service providers play a critical role in transforming survivors’ experiences. “You are the guardians of resilience,” she said. “Your dedication has already rewritten many painful stories into narratives of empowerment. AGILE stands beside you, ready to combine our resources and reach.”
Describing the agreement as more than a formal contract, she noted, “This MoU is a promise—to girls, that their safety matters; to communities, that we will work together; and to our mission, that we will not relent until every girl is safe to learn and grow.”
She called for sustained collaboration and accountability, saying, “Let us recommit to action over words, to collaboration over silos, and to the belief that together we can build a Nigeria where every adolescent girl is protected, educated, and empowered.”
In separate goodwill messages, representatives from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Center for Communication and Health Services, and UNICEF highlighted the importance of the meeting and its potential impact. Mrs. Mary Isa, Dr. Isah Adamu, and Ambassador Umar Faruk Mashegu noted that GBV remains a pervasive issue in both schools and broader society.
They called for increased awareness, particularly around silent forms of abuse and the importance of support systems for survivors. The speakers commended the AGILE Project for initiating the partnership and stressed that the collaboration could contribute to improved school attendance and greater confidence among girls.
Participants also emphasized the need for community involvement in safeguarding children from abuse and pledged continued cooperation to ensure the success of the initiative.
