In commemoration of the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), themed “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) hosted a live radio dialogue that explored how women-focused health programs in Northern Nigeria can integrate GBV awareness into their programming. The conversation also examined the role of technology in strengthening messages to prevent violence against women and girls.

The program, broadcast on Freedom Radio in Kano, reached Hausa-speaking and rural audiences where access to alternative media is limited and literacy levels are low. It featured dRPC’s Al-Azhar-trained Muslim Opinion Leaders and media practitioners, including Imam Muhammad Sani Isah, Prof. Abdulazeez Mashi, Zainab Ismail, and Hajiya Halima Ben Umar.

During the discussion, panelists shared their experiences encountering GBV cases within communities, mosques, and during health radio programs. They observed that women often present health complaints closely linked to underlying experiences of violence, yet social norms and misinterpretation of religious texts reinforce silence, allowing abuse to continue unchecked. The dialogue emphasized the responsibility of religious leaders to provide correct interpretations that uphold dignity, justice, and protection for women.

Participants highlighted real-life cases shared via the radio, including incidents of domestic violence witnessed by children, illustrating how the program serves as a vital platform to raise awareness and encourage community intervention. They underscored the need for collaboration among Muslim

Opinion Leaders, health workers, media practitioners, traditional leaders, and government institutions to effectively address GBV.

The panel recommended practical strategies for integrating GBV awareness into health programming. These included coordinated radio programming with religious and community leaders, capacity building for health reporters, the creation of radio jingles linking health issues to GBV, leveraging sermons to extend messaging, and involving men in awareness campaigns.

The dialogue demonstrated the transformative power of radio as a trusted and accessible platform. By engaging faith leaders, health professionals, and media practitioners, the program showcased how faith-informed, rights-based messaging can break the culture of silence, challenge harmful norms, and prevent violence against women across Northern Nigeria and the wider Sahel region.