A COUNTRY WHERE WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE SAFE IS POSSIBLE: ACTIONAID NIGERIA CALLS FOR COLLABORATIVE ACTION TO TACKLE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
As the world marks the 2024 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) under the theme “Towards 30 Years of the Beijing Declaration: Unite to End Violence Against Women,” ActionAid Nigeria is urging stakeholders across all sectors to act decisively in tackling the scourge of violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
Gender-Based Violence remains a devastating epidemic in Nigeria, with 45% of Nigerian women having experienced at least one form of GBV in their lifetime, according to Invictus Africa. In 2022 alone, over 11,000 cases were reported, a mere fraction of the true scale, as stigma and weak justice systems continues to silence countless survivors. Alarmingly, 1 in 4 girls in Nigeria faces sexual violence before the age of 18, with conflict-ridden areas like the North-East witnessing a 30% rise in reported cases due to displacement and exploitation.
Beyond the home, GBV is infiltrating workplaces, with women facing harassment and discrimination that undermine their safety, dignity, and economic empowerment. The agricultural sector, dominated by women, is particularly affected, with many women farmers subjected to dispossession and violence, threatening their livelihoods. In countries like South Africa, they exist a strengthened workplace policies on sexual harassment, ensuring safer environments for women in the workforce. These successes offer valuable lessons for Nigeria to adopt and adapt.
“The numbers reveal a grim reality, but we refuse to accept violence against women and girls as inevitable. It is preventable, and ActionAid Nigeria is committed to leading systemic change to address its root causes.” says Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria. “
Through transformative programs such as the Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) Project, the Safe Cities Campaign, and the Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Prevent GBV (MAP-GBV), ActionAid Nigeria has empowered over 7 million people and supported more than 30,000 survivors. These initiatives have challenged harmful cultural norms, provided critical services, and driven community-level change.
A Call to Action
Despite these strides, GBV persists due to entrenched patriarchy, economic inequality, and gaps in institutional frameworks. ActionAid Nigeria calls on all stakeholders to unite against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The government must fully implement the VAPP and Child Rights Acts nationwide, increase funding for GBV prevention, and invest in gender-responsive public services. Civil society and community leaders should challenge harmful norms, expand survivor-centered services, and amplify survivors’ voices. The private sector must adopt zero-tolerance policies on workplace harassment, ensure safe reporting mechanisms, and promote gender equality. Ending GBV requires coordinated efforts to address its root causes and ensure survivors receive justice and support. Together, we can create a society free from violence and discrimination.
As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, ActionAid Nigeria reiterates that violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, a public health crisis, and a barrier to sustainable development. Ending GBV requires urgency, resources, and unwavering commitment from every stakeholder.
“Together, we can break the chains of violence and build a society where women and girls live free from fear and harm,” Mamedu emphasizes.
#16DaysOfActivism #EndGBV #UniteToEndViolence
Editors’ notes
ActionAid Nigeria, a social justice non-governmental organisation working to eradicate poverty and all forms of injustice in Nigeria. We are an affiliate member of the ActionAid International Federation with a presence in 70 countries. AAN works in solidarity with people living in poverty and exclusion to achieve social justice, gender equality, and poverty eradication towards achieving a just, equitable, and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and all forms of oppression.
Contact:
Oluwakemi Akinremi-Segun | Communications Coordinator | ActionAid Nigeria
Tel: +234 (0) 809 207 6904 | +234 (0) 812 888 8826 Email: Oluwakemi.AkinremiSe@actionaid.org | Info.nigeria@actionaid.org