BY PATRICIA TAFT AND HANNAH BLYTH

Comparatively, Kano is one of the more prosperous states in Northern Nigeria. However, the distribution of wealth is uneven. It has also faced a major uptick in insecurity since 2012, as a result of the Jama’atu Ahli Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) insurgency. Gender roles within the state also remain unequal, with a report on women’s rights detailing that women, particularly in rural areas, are often precluded from participating in economic decision making, employment outside the home, political engagement, and access to the same level of education as boys. Within the context of both the heightened levels of violence and insecurity in the state, as well as the pervasive norms surrounding the role of women in many communities, the vulnerability of young girls and women to violence and abuse in Kano state remains high.

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