BY MUHAMMAD M. ALI, OCTOBER 15, 2025 | 12:18 PM
German International Cooperation (GIZ) has organised a workshop to train Borno State Stakeholders on gender responsive planning that ensures the needs, priorities, and experiences of all genders—especially women and girls—are considered and addressed at every stage of planning, implementation, and evaluation.
This is happening under its project titled: 'Supporting Sustainable Social Protection, Participation and Economic Resilience in the North East Nigeria (SEPIN SUSI) Programme' co-funded by the European Union and the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC). The three day training, which started on Tuesday, is holding at Corinthian Villa Hotel and Suites Limited in Abuja. It brought together legislators, politicians, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and journalists, among other stakeholders. While declaring the training open, Dr. Salma Anas Kolo, special adviser on Health to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, called for the need for inclusivity in leadership and equal opportunities for women in governance.
She challenged women to break bottlenecks - including male resistance, building capacity of their fellow women - to gender equality.
Also speaking, Dr. Judith-Ann Walker, project coordinator of of dRPC's pogram said the workshop aimed at strengthening the capacity of women in public office and male allies in Borno State to advocate for and deliver gender-sensitive planning and gender-responsive budgeting at the local government area level. 'The objectives are strengthening skills in legislation engagement, gender responsive budget, policy analysis and strategic communication, foster peer learning and mentorship across state lines, enable participants to develop and implement personalised and group advocacy plans, facilitate multi-stakeholder roundtable to encourage accountability and reinforce knowledge,' Walker said.
Other engagements at the workshop include paper presentations on the legal and policy obligations of federal and state governments to make and implement gender responsive plans, policies and budgets addressing the needs of women and girls as a vulnerable group.
About GIZ The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is the German Agency for International Cooperation, a global service provider owned by the German Federal Government. Since 1974, GIZ has played a pivotal role in advancing development cooperation between Germany and Nigeria. Its mandate in Nigeria aligns with key bilateral priorities, focusing on sustainable economic growth, employment promotion, renewable energy, and peacebuilding—particularly in the conflict-affected Northeast.
In North East, Nigeria, GIZ’s interventions, including the SEPIN SUSI programme, operate at the intersection of humanitarian assistance and long-term development. The initiative aims to strengthen local institutions for improved basic service delivery and foster self-reliance by enhancing the resilience of vulnerable groups—especially internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities. Through efforts to bolster social protection systems and promote inclusive economic participation, GIZ’s projects—often co-funded by the European Union and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)—seek to lay the groundwork for lasting peace, security, and sustainable development, with a strong commitment to gender equality and social inclusion.
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