The Minister for Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, revealed that 30 per cent of Nigerian women and girls aged between 15 and 49 have experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives.
She made this statement on Monday in Abuja during a press briefing and flag-off ceremony marking the commencement of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, held at the Ministry’s headquarters. The event’s theme was “Towards Beijing +30: Unite to End Violence Against Women and Girls.”
Highlighting the critical role of media partnership in combating gender-based violence, Sulaiman-Ibrahim described the rising trend of GBV as a “gross violation of human rights” that undermines societal values and progress.
She called for a collaborative, multi-sectoral approach to address the widespread issue, noting that all 36 states in Nigeria had domesticated the Child Rights Act (2003), while 35 had adopted the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015).
The Minister stated, “The statistics on gender-based violence in Nigeria remain deeply troubling. Even as we begin this campaign today, somewhere in a community, a little child is being abused, and a young girl’s life is at risk.
Reports show that 30% of Nigerian women and girls aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical or sexual violence.
“This growing trend is unacceptable, represents a gross violation of human rights, and hinders women and girls from achieving their full potential. It also stalls our nation’s progress towards inclusive development. Media partners play a crucial role in this campaign, and as we observe the 2024 Unite Campaign in Nigeria, we must collectively adopt a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder approach to tackle this pervasive issue.”
The campaign will focus on community mobilisation, education, and raising awareness to challenge harmful cultural norms, stereotypes, and practices that perpetuate violence. Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that prevention starts with education and reiterated the importance of engaging traditional and religious leaders as gatekeepers in communities.
She added, “We will strengthen legislation and its implementation. Today, we celebrate Bauchi State’s domestication of the Child Rights Act (2003), making it all 36 states, while 35 states have now domesticated the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act (2015).”
The Minister also disclosed that there were 47 Sexual Assault Referral Centres across 22 states to provide medical care, psychosocial support, and empowerment opportunities for GBV survivors.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gabriel Aduda, urged stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and deepen efforts to address the root causes of GBV.
“Every law we enact, every programme we implement, and every survivor we empower brings us closer to a Nigeria where women and girls can live free from fear and violence,” he said.