In a significant move to address the alarming rise in gender-based violence (GBV), more than 50 Shari’a court judges from Kano and Kaduna States convened in Kaduna for a joint session aimed at strengthening justice delivery and protecting survivors.
The meeting, spearheaded by the Acting Grand Khadi of Kano State, Kadi Mukhtar Muhammad Kunti, focused on the introduction and implementation of a newly gazetted practice direction issued on February 25, 2025.
The directive is designed to streamline the adjudication of GBV cases by reducing the burden of witness testimony on survivors and expanding legal avenues in situations lacking direct witnesses, such as domestic settings.
The new framework complements existing civil procedure rules and applies across all Upper and Shari’a Courts in both states.
It offers a survivor-friendly approach to justice that prioritizes the dignity and protection of victims, particularly in environments where abuse often goes unreported.
Kadi Kunti also called on the Kano State Government to domesticate and enforce the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, joining 35 other Nigerian states that have adopted the legislation to enhance legal protection against GBV.
The session was organized by the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) in partnership with the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) at Bayero University, Kano.
The initiative is supported by the Ford Foundation and is part of a broader advocacy effort to align religious legal systems with international human rights standards.
Speaking at the event, Kano State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children, and Disabled Persons, Hajiya Amina Abdullahi Sani—represented by the Director of Planning, Yakubu Muhammad—urged Shari’a court judges to take a firm stand against GBV. She emphasized that such acts constitute serious violations of human rights and demanded urgent, holistic judicial responses to safeguard vulnerable populations.
The gathering marks a critical step in harmonizing religious legal frameworks with progressive legal reforms to tackle gender-based violence in northern Nigeria.
