The United Nations and the Federal Government of Nigeria have rallied the judiciary and key stakeholders to address persistent justice gaps affecting women and girls, with renewed calls for stronger legal protections and more responsive institutions.
The call was made on Wednesday during a high-level dialogue in Abuja to commemorate International Women’s Day. The event, themed “Equal Justice for Women and Girls in Nigeria: Strengthening Inclusive Gender-Responsive Justice Systems,” was jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice Nigeria and the UN Gender Theme Group.
Representing the UN Resident Coordinator, Mohamed Fall, speakers underscored that access to justice for women and girls is central to inclusive development. They called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and communities to dismantle barriers preventing survivors of violence from seeking redress.
In her remarks, Beatrice Eyong warned that gender-based violence (GBV) remains widespread in Nigeria. Citing the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, she noted that 21 percent of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical or sexual violence, while 58 percent of survivors do not report or seek help.
“More than half of women who experience violence never seek help, largely due to a lack of confidence in the systems meant to protect them,” she said, adding that harmful social norms persist, with a notable proportion of Nigerians still justifying domestic abuse.
Also speaking, Muriel Mafico of the United Nations Population Fund highlighted the intersection of GBV with broader development challenges, including child marriage and harmful traditional practices. She revealed that nearly 38 percent of Nigerian women aged 25–49 were married before the age of 18.
Mafico stressed that while Nigeria has made progress in establishing legal frameworks, the effectiveness of such laws depends on accessibility, responsiveness and survivor-centered implementation. She outlined ongoing UNFPA interventions, including capacity-building for justice sector actors, support for forensic infrastructure in Adamawa State, and partnerships with tertiary institutions in Lagos State to implement Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) policies.
From the government’s side, Yewande Gbola-Awopetu reaffirmed commitment to strengthening prosecution of GBV cases and improving survivors’ access to justice. She acknowledged that despite legal instruments such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, challenges including stigma, economic constraints and institutional weaknesses continue to limit justice outcomes.
Delivering a keynote address, Angela Otaluka described equal justice for women and girls as both a constitutional and moral obligation. She identified cultural norms, economic dependency, judicial delays and limited gender sensitivity as key barriers within the system.
Otaluka commended Husseini Baba Yusuf for establishing specialised courts to handle GBV cases, noting that such reforms are critical to improving case management and survivor protection.
Stakeholders at the forum advocated institutional reforms, including enhanced capacity for judges and prosecutors, expanded legal aid services, deployment of technology to reduce delays, and stronger collaboration with civil society, traditional and religious leaders.
Participants—comprising judges, senior lawyers, law enforcement officials, development partners and civil society organisations—also emphasised the need to increase women’s representation within the justice sector.
The dialogue concluded with a renewed commitment to enforce existing laws, strengthen survivor support systems and deepen partnerships aimed at building a more inclusive, responsive and accountable justice system for women and girls in Nigeria.
