The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has endorsed a planned continental conference of traditional and religious leaders aimed at strengthening advocacy for women’s rights, girls’ education, and the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).

The endorsement came during a courtesy visit to the Sultan by a delegation from the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) and the Ford Foundation.

Ford Foundation Program Officer, Mr. Oumar Ndiaye, briefed the Sultan on the upcoming African Traditional Leaders’ Conference, scheduled to hold in Lagos in

February 2026, describing it as a “landmark opportunity” for traditional leaders across Africa to unite in advancing women’s rights and combating GBV.

Professor Taufiq Abubakar, who led the dRPC delegation, highlighted the centre’s work under the Muslim Opinion Leaders (MOLs) for the Prevention of GBV in Northern Nigeria project, funded by the Ford Foundation.

He said the initiative engages Islamic scholars to promote the protection of women from an Islamic perspective.

Abubakar disclosed that the project has produced a series of scholarly publications in collaboration with Al-Azhar University and the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue, now being translated into Arabic and Hausa to provide faith-based guidance on ending GBV.

He also raised concerns about the “double stigmatisation” faced by survivors of GBV in Northern Nigeria.
Commending the initiative, the Sultan said the project aligns with the Sultanate’s longstanding advocacy for women’s rights and education grounded in Islamic teachings.

He urged stakeholders to sustain engagement and follow up on resolutions from national and regional forums.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Ndiaye praised the Sultan’s commitment and reaffirmed the Ford Foundation’s support for dRPC’s programmes, noting that “ending GBV requires collective action across society.”

Other speakers at the meeting included Barrister Aisha Tijjani, a dRPC MOL, who revealed that more than 50 Sharia Court judges have been trained to handle GBV cases in Kano State, and Barrister Umar Ahmad Umar, Program Officer at dRPC, who explained that the MOL project seeks to dispel misconceptions and misinterpretations of religion regarding gender-based violence.