Bauchi, Nigeria: Over 570 Sex Workers Rehabilitated with Vocational Skills and Start-up Capital

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

In a remarkable move to empower vulnerable women, the Bauchi State Hisbah board in Nigeria has rehabilitated more than 570 commercial sex workers, offering them vocational training and start-up capital to help them start new chapters in their lives.

Barr. Aminu Balarabe Isa, Chairman of the Hisbah board, stated that the initiative was designed to reintegrate the women, often referred to as “women of free virtue,” into society by providing them with sustainable means of livelihood.

The beneficiaries, who were selected from across the state, underwent training in various skills such as tailoring, hairdressing, makeup artistry, and other trades to help them become self-sufficient.

Barr. Isa further explained that the Hisbah board had originally considered arranging marriages for the women but later realized that poverty, not promiscuity, was the primary reason they turned to sex work.

“Rather than forcing marriage upon them, we chose to address the root cause—poverty—by empowering them with the skills and capital to build new lives,” Isa said.

He also emphasized that this program marks a shift from punitive to restorative justice, reflecting Islamic values that prioritize rehabilitation over punishment.