The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Women Affairs Secretariat, in collaboration with UN Women, has launched a renewed partnership with traditional rulers across the FCT to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) and foster safer communities for women and girls.
At a high-level sensitization workshop held in Abuja, traditional leaders from across the six area councils convened to strengthen grassroots action, challenge harmful cultural practices, and promote accountability in the collective fight against GBV.
Supported by the Ford Foundation, the initiative is part of a national campaign to engage traditional institutions in advancing gender equality, protecting women’s rights, and abolishing practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.
UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, described GBV as not only a moral and social crisis but also an economic one, noting that violence against women reduces a nation’s GDP by as much as two percent. “Gender-based violence limits national productivity and growth. Every time a woman is silenced or denied opportunity, the nation loses talent, creativity, and productivity,” Eyong said.
She emphasized that traditional rulers are key to driving change at the community level, citing examples of royal fathers leading campaigns against child marriage and other harmful practices. “Traditional rulers are moral compasses and custodians of culture. When they speak, communities listen — and that power can be used to protect women and inspire transformation,” she added.
In her remarks, Pioneer Mandate Secretary of the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, said the workshop marked the beginning of a movement of conscience and collaboration to end GBV. “Our traditional leaders remain the heartbeat of our cultural identity. Their influence reaches where government policy cannot — into the hearts and homes of our people,” she said.
Benjamins-Laniyi urged traditional rulers to use their authority to turn culture into a force for protection, calling for a mindset shift from silence to solidarity and from stigma to support. “The protection of women is not just a women’s issue; it is a humanity issue,” she added.
Mandate Secretary of the Area Council Services Secretariat, Hon. Bitrus Garki, praised the initiative, noting that traditional rulers’ participation would ensure the message of ending GBV reaches the grassroots. “Once our royal fathers take this message to their palaces and communities, the goal of ending gender-based violence will be closer to reality,” he said.
Representing the Ona of Abaji, HRH Haruna Tanko Jibrin, Gomo of Kuje, reaffirmed the commitment of traditional rulers to the cause. “We stand firmly in support of efforts to end gender-based violence in the FCT and across Nigeria. We will continue to work and speak out until GBV is completely eliminated,” he pledged.
Similarly, HRH Luka Ayedoo Nizassan III, Chairman, Council of Chiefs, Kwali Area Council, shared a recent case in which traditional and local leaders ensured justice for a child victim of abuse — a testament to the power of community-led intervention.
He stressed that traditional rulers are building a culture of reporting and awareness to ensure that violence and exploitation have no place in their communities. “Our commitment is clear — we will not tolerate gender-based violence. Together, we are building communities where women and girls can live, learn, and thrive without fear,” he affirmed.
