Since 2018, PACE has worked closely with Nigerian partner Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI) to amplify the voices of young people as effective advocates in northern Nigeria. Through a 2021-2022 activity supported by USAID/Nigeria, BCAI aims to facilitate policy change in Kano, Bauchi, and Jigawa states with a broad and interactive multimedia advocacy approach that draws in hard-to-reach community “gatekeepers,” works past significant literacy barriers, and promotes accountability.
PACE and BCAI amplify diverse cultural voices to expand the conversation around child rights and promote policy change that is more representative of community needs. BCAI particularly seeks to invite the contributions of women and girls, mainstreaming their first-hand perspectives to inform policy action.
Recognizing that radio is the most popular mass media across Nigeria to reach audiences of all ages, BCAI, with technical assistance from PACE, is producing a 10-episode podcast and radio series about child marriage and related reproductive health topics. The series directly addresses barriers to change such as stigma, tradition, and lack of intergenerational communication, delivering stories with nuanced perspectives about the health and development implications of child marriage that spark conversations about policy.
