By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

Women in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State have pledged to take the lead in promoting climate action and strengthening community resilience following a two-day capacity-building workshop organised under the Women Empowerment and Climate Resilience Initiative (WECRI).

The workshop was implemented by Bridge That Gap Initiative through the Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) Programme and funded by UK International Development.

It brought together women from different communities across Zaria to deepen their understanding of governance, advocacy and climate resilience.

One of the Facilitator, Mr Abel Adejor, stressed the importance of community needs assessment, noting that women play a strategic role in identifying early warning signs of climate-related challenges because of their roles as primary caregivers and managers of household resources.

“Every community has its peculiar needs, especially when it comes to climate change. Women are at the heart of community life, so they understand the daily realities and are better positioned to identify what must be addressed first.

Prioritisation ensures that limited resources are channelled into projects that deliver the most impact. Without this, communities may invest in initiatives that do not align with their urgent challenges,” he said.

Participants described the training as timely and inspiring.

One of them, Hauwa Magaji said the sessions helped her realise that climate resilience is not the responsibility of government alone.

“I have come to realise that every member of the community has a role to play in achieving climate resilience at the community level,” she said.

Another participant, Saadatu Abubakar, said women can make meaningful contributions without necessarily taking grand public actions.

“Women’s efforts do not have to be loud or big. Even small actions matter. We can always engage community leaders and support policies that protect our environment,” she said.

The activity marked the final phase of the “Capacity Building for Women Coalitions on Governance and Advocacy” under the WECRI Project, following earlier sessions held in Chikun and Zango Kataf Local Government Areas.