The Katsina chapter of the High Level Women Advocates (HILWA) has renewed its call for greater representation of women in the leadership and management of the state’s education sector. The advocacy was reinforced during a one-day sensitisation and engagement programme held on Thursday, aimed at empowering more women to take up decision-making roles in education

HILWA Chairperson, Mariya Abdullahi, said the initiative seeks to build women’s capacity, expand leadership pathways and dismantle socio-cultural barriers that hinder women’s participation in educational governance. She praised the strong turnout, describing the gathering as a vital step toward achieving gender parity in the education system. Abdullahi noted that women, despite being central to societal development, remain underrepresented in leadership positions, stressing the need to bridge the gap because of the empathy, innovation and resilience women bring to leadership.

She highlighted HILWA’s contributions over the years, noting improvements such as increased girls’ enrolment at the end of the GEP III project in 2021 and a rise in the number of women occupying positions of authority in the sector. However, she acknowledged that stereotypes and structural constraints still limit women’s full participation and encouraged women to continue breaking barriers.

Commissioner for Women Affairs, Aisha Aminu, commended HILWA for its consistent efforts to empower women both educationally and socially, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to policies that strengthen women’s inclusion in governance. Representing the State Universal Basic Education Board, Sada Muhammad lauded HILWA’s strategic role in promoting girls’ education and female leadership in school management. He also pledged SUBEB’s continued partnership with HILWA to advance girl-child education and leadership development in line with UBEC/SUBEB mandates.