Right to Health

Maternal mortality remains a critical challenge in Nigeria. Through community empowerment and advocacy, CHRICED tackles healthcare inequalities, focusing on improving maternal and child health through impactful programs

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$500,000

Invested

$500,000

Invested

$500,000

Invested

Our Impact

The CHRICED project, Social Mobilization for Accountability in the Implementation of Resource Budgets for Maternal Health Interventions, was designed to address the high rate of maternal mortality in Kano State by empowering citizens, especially vulnerable women and youth, with a deeper understanding of governance processes. The project operates on the premise that maternal and child mortality is not an inescapable fate for affected communities but a governance issue that can be resolved through effective citizen engagement.

This intervention focused on equipping citizens with the knowledge and skills to navigate governance systems and leverage accountability mechanisms. By harnessing their collective civic will, citizens can advocate for policy shifts and demand greater accountability from decision-makers, thereby influencing the maternal and child health landscape. Through this approach, the project aims to transform awareness into concrete citizen action, driving systemic change and fostering accountability across the maternal health governance chain.

What Changed

The project has significantly enhanced community awareness of citizens’ rights to participate in budgetary processes and demand accountability, inspiring active advocacy across the state.

Maternal and Child Health Advocacy

Trained media personnel have emerged as champions for change within their organizations, diligently tracking, investigating, and reporting on maternal and child health (MCH) issues. Their efforts have ensured that MCH concerns remain visible in public discourse and addressed by decision-makers.

Capacity Building

Capacity-building initiatives within target communities have empowered citizens with the knowledge and skills to lead their own advocacy efforts. These community members now actively monitor and demand accountability from policymakers, holding them responsible for their actions.

Enactment of Kano State MCH Law

A major milestone of the project is the enactment of the Kano State Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Law by the State House of Assembly, followed by its assent by former Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. This landmark achievement underscores the project's transformative role in shaping the legal framework for MCH delivery in Kano State.

Real Impact measured

Through our dedicated efforts, CHRICED has transformed lives in underserved communities by improving access to essential services and advocating for systemic change. Our work in maternal and child healthcare has led to groundbreaking achievements, including the passage of the Kano State Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Law, which ensures free and equitable healthcare for vulnerable populations.

By empowering citizens with knowledge and advocacy tools, we have fostered active participation in governance processes, from budget development to legislative hearings. Our inclusive approach, guided by Gender, Equity, and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles, has addressed entrenched inequalities, uplifting marginalized groups and creating economic opportunities for women and people with disabilities.

At the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), our impact speaks to our commitment to accountability, transparency, and social justice

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Challenges we faced

The economic and social challenges posed by the government’s haphazard economic policies and rising inflation rates as highlighted above, aggravated the socioeconomic situation of poor households in the Project Implementation Areas (PIAs). Due to low purchasing power, resulting from high inflation rates and shrinking income sources and means of livelihood in the two Project Implementation Areas of Gwale and Kumbotso Local Government Areas of Kano State, the health dimension of the crisis has continued to be felt, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities that cannot afford to pay for standard maternal healthcare services. In terms of the roles of duty bearers responsible for the governance of the health sector, narratives around the lack of financial resources were deployed as the main responses to citizens’ clamor for quality and affordable maternal and child healthcare.

The project faced significant challenges, including a hostile political and operational environment. State actors, threatened by the growing advocacy of citizens, sought to suppress civic organizations highlighting corruption and poor governance. In response, CHRICED joined forces with like-minded organizations to strengthen alliances, amplify collective voices, and enhance influence in policymaking processes.

Additionally, security challenges disrupted transportation and communication in some political wards within the project areas. To address these hurdles, CHRICED partnered with local communities, working collaboratively to overcome these obstacles and ensure project success.

Approach & Strategy

Since 2014, CHRICED, with support from MISEREOR/KZE, has implemented a range of impactful initiatives to combat maternal and infant mortality in Kano State. The success of this approach is evident in the increasing participation of residents from remote rural areas in key activities, such as legislative public hearings and annual budget presentations.

CHRICED’s efforts include training workshops for community stakeholders, sensitization campaigns via radio, newspapers, and social media, and town hall meetings fostering dialogue between communities and their political representatives. Additionally, CHRICED has organized press conferences to highlight maternal and child health (MCH) concerns, conducted research and expenditure analyses to equip community leaders with actionable insights, and launched advocacy campaigns demanding accountability in primary healthcare services. These campaigns culminated in significant progress, including the passage of a free maternal and child health bill into law.

The project also prioritized Gender, Equity, and Social Inclusion (GESI), addressing patriarchal norms and systemic inequities in the target communities. CHRICED adopted a GESI-responsive approach, not only focusing on MCH but also tackling broader issues of marginalization. In procurement processes, the project empowered economically disadvantaged women and people with disabilities by engaging them as vendors, thereby promoting economic inclusion.

These comprehensive strategies and deliberate attention to inclusion demonstrate strong progress toward achieving the project’s overarching objectives.

Results

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