Fatima Bello Aliyu was the Senior GESI and Safeguarding Adviser on the FCDO-funded Partnership for Learning for All (PLANE) programme, where she supported the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board to develop and roll out school safeguarding approaches, including teacher training and classroom safeguarding messages.
She is a social development specialist with over 20 years’ experience in safeguarding, gender equality, social protection, women’s economic empowerment and institutional strengthening in Nigeria. Her current work with Kano SUBEB focuses on sustaining safeguarding gains in schools and supporting work linked to World Bank disbursement-linked indicators.
Fatima has also led work for Social Development Direct to help operationalise Jigawa State’s Social Protection Agency.
Earlier, she worked on the FCDO-funded ENABLE2 and MAFITA programmes, strengthening business advocacy, local economic development and women’s economic opportunities. Her experience includes women’s empowerment, savings groups and social protection work with GIZ; TSIC assignments examining gender-based violence and women’s rights initiatives supported by the African Women’s Development Fund; and climate and gender inclusion work with the African Climate Fund.
She brings a collaborative approach to working with government, civil society and communities. An advocate for the rights, safety and economic agency of women and girls, Fatima is developing a women’s cooperative initiative centred on desert date products. The initiative aims to help women add value to a locally available resource, access markets and build savings through village savings and loan associations.
She holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Leeds and a BSc in Psychology with Biology from the University of Buckingham.