As the global community observes the 16 Days’ of Activism against Gender-Based Violence commemorated annually from the 25th of November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to the 10th of December (Human Rights Day), FIDA Nigeria stands in solemn solidarity with the millions of women and girls whose lives have been shattered by the devastating consequences of violence.
The theme for this year’s 16 Days’ of Activism Against Gender Based Violence is, “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls”. This theme is a targeted campaign to increase awareness and spur action to end violence against women and girls particularly as the world approaches the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025 (a blueprint for achieving gender equality and women’s rights).
The crisis of gender based violence has indeed reached a crescendo globally, with statistics showing that nearly 1 in 3 women have experienced violence in their lifetime. In Nigeria, gender based violence has taken a disturbing turn with women and girls often at the receiving end. Every day, women endure horrific abuse in silence—beaten, raped, assaulted and often killed by those they trust the most. These acts of violence are not isolated incidents but a growing scourge that has seeped into the very fabric of our society, leaving deep scars in its wake.
The Nigerian woman is battered by violence from all angles:
- In her own home—a place where safety is expected, she is locked in a vicious cycle of domestic violence and forced to endure humiliation and terror.
- In the workplace—where her voice is often silenced and her body becomes a battleground for exploitation and harassment.
- In her community—where harmful practices, like child marriages, forced and early marriages, female genital mutilation, harmful traditional and cultural practices continue to rob her of her right and dignity of person.
These women are not statistics; they are mothers, daughters, sisters and wives, who suffer daily because the system continues to fail them. Their pain echoes through the hollow promises of justice and protection that are never realized. Each day that passes, these women are told, directly or indirectly that their suffering does not matter, while their rights are being disregarded with reckless impunity. This grim reality underscores the urgency of the call to end violence against women and girls.
FIDA Nigeria’s mandate is grounded in a deep commitment to combat these injustices. Our mission is predicated on the restoration of the rights and dignity of Nigerian women and children by offering legal support to those violated, amplifying the voices of survivors while advocating for systemic change. However, the road is long and the battle is far from being won.
We witness daily, the pain of women who are forced to flee their homes in search of safety in order to escape abuse, women whose voices are ignored and their attackers often left to roam free with impunity, emboldened by a system that has failed to deliver justice. Women who are coerced into silence by the fear of retaliation, societal stigma and the absence of supportive networks.
FIDA Nigeria Statement on the 2024 16 Days’ of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
The violence that Nigerian women face daily does not only harm them—it destroys families, stifles the nation’s potential, and perpetuates a cycle of poverty and trauma that reverberates for generations. However, FIDA Nigeria refuses to be silent on these issues. We refuse to accept a reality where Nigerian women continue to live in fear and we refuse to be passive in the face of injustice. The time for change is now!
FIDA Nigeria insists on action and accountability from all stakeholders particularly the Government, Civil Society Organisations, Public and Private sectors and urgently calls for:
- Legal system transformation Expeditious enforcement of the provisions of the various legislations that prohibit violence* such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act; Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) amongst others, to ensure swift justice for survivors and accountability for perpetrators so as to end this impunity.
- Cultural transformation, where violence is no longer normalised, excused or accepted and women’s rights are upheld by all members of the society.
- Government and community action, to create safe spaces, offer support to survivors and prevent further violence.
- More resources for women empowerment, including financial independence, increased access to justice, education and healthcare, so as to break free from abusive situations.
As we reflect on the 2024 theme “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls,” let us remember that Nigerian women deserve more than mere sympathy, they deserve action, justice and the right to live without fear.
FIDA Nigeria stands unwavering in its resolve to end violence against women and girls. We will continue to fight for their rights, their safety and their future. We shall not relent until every woman and girl in Nigeria is free from every form of discrimination, violence and abuse in the society.
There is #NoExcuse for violence against women and girls! Let us therefore unite to end the vicious cycle of violence by accelerating action and demanding accountability. Together we can!
FOR: FIDA NIGERIA
Signed
Amina Suzanah Agbaje, (Mrs.)
Country Vice/National President
