Enhancing the lives of rural women in Northern Nigeria

As the world recently marked the International Day of Rural Women, I took some moments to reflect on the plight and prospects of women in Nigeria’s rural communities. 

Nigeria boasts hardworking women across all sectors, from the North to the South, whether in the city or rural hinterland. Indeed, in some communities, women’s involvement in agriculture, whether in production or value addition, has helped to ensure food availability and improved families’ well-being. 

However, before I delve into the prospects, I would like to take a brief look at the solvable challenges faced by rural women, who, till today, contend with cultural limitations and other perennial challenges, like poor access to quality healthcare, sexual and gender-based violence, barbaric practices like female genital mutilation, and lack of basic amenities like good roads, power supply, and potable water. While life is generally harsher for people in Nigeria’s rural communities, I empathize more with women, who have much more to contend with. 

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