Kaduna: Bridge that Gap Hope for Africa Initiative (BTG), in collaboration with the Network of Civil Society in Environment, has launched a groundbreaking project aimed at empowering women and promoting sustainable climate governance in Kaduna State.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, BTG Executive Director, Ms. Gloria Bulus, announced the project, describing it as a strategic response to the escalating climate and development challenges affecting local communities.
The project, titled ‘Women Empowerment and Climate Resilience Initiative,’ is funded by the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) Programme, a Foreign Commonwealth Development Office initiative. The six-month project will be implemented in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kaduna State-Zaria, Chikun, and Zango Kataf-chosen for their concerning environmental conditions.
Ms. Bulus highlighted the severe environmental degradation, food insecurity, and lack of female participation in governance in these LGAs. She cited a Global Forest Watch report indicating that Kaduna State lost over 5,400 hectares of natural forest in 2023 alone, resulting in 1.94 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. This environmental degradation exacerbates poverty and eco-anxiety, particularly among women who are underrepresented in decision-making processes.
Despite their crucial roles in agriculture, small businesses, and household sustainability, women often lack the resources and platforms to influence climate policies. The project aims to change this by strengthening women-led coalitions, enhancing their policy advocacy skills, and developing a climate action plan that considers gender and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) as per the Kaduna State Climate Change Policy.
The initiative will also provide energy-efficient cookstoves and promote cooperation among policymakers, civil society, and the private sector. Zaria LGA faces significant vegetation loss due to fuelwood consumption, with satellite data showing over 80% degradation from 1973 to 2014. Zango Kataf LGA struggles with erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and soil degradation, while Chikun LGA suffers from biodiversity loss and industrial pollution.
BTG’s project is built around four core objectives: enhancing women’s policy advocacy capacity, developing inclusive Climate Action Plans, promoting climate adaptation through grassroots solutions, and strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration. BTG is committed to building sustainable communities by removing barriers to opportunity and basic rights for vulnerable populations.
The organisation plans to plant 15,000 trees across the three LGAs, with 3,000 already planted in Chikun LGA. Additional funding from the PACE Programme will facilitate the planting of 6,000 more trees. Journalists in Kaduna will also receive training to improve their skills in writing and reporting on climate change issues.
The PACE project aims to support coalitions influencing government action on climate and governance matters impacting the poorest and most vulnerable. It seeks to increase state government revenue from internal sources, integrate climate actions into state policies, and enhance election delivery and credibility. The programme is implemented in Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa states, with BTG as a consortium partner.
