Assessing the Gender Dimensions of Drug Abuse Among Women and Girls in Maiduguri: Challenges and Implications

Abstract

This study examines the gender-specific dimensions of drug abuse among women and girls in Maiduguri, North East Nigeria, a region affected by insurgency, poverty, and restrictive socio-cultural norms. While national data indicate rising female substance use, interventions and research have largely overlooked women’s unique challenges. Drawing on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study explores structural, emotional, and socio-cultural drivers of drug use, as well as barriers to recovery. Findings reveal that economic disempowerment, trauma, family neglect, peer influence, restrictive gender norms, and conflict-induced displacement interact to shape women’s experiences. Stigma, limited access to gender-sensitive rehabilitation, and institutional neglect further exacerbate vulnerability. The study concludes that addressing female drug abuse in Maiduguri requires holistic, supportive strategies, including accessible women-focused rehabilitation, trauma-informed mental health services, community reintegration initiatives, and livelihood empowerment programs. These measures are essential to mitigate the social, psychological, and physical consequences of substance abuse and break cycles of vulnerability in this context.