UN Women, AWLN moves to end violence against women, girls

The UN Women in collaboration with Africa Women Leaders’ Network (AWLN) and other critical stakeholders has brainstormed on how to end the increasing cases of violence against women and girls as well as ensure more representation in democratic governance in Nigeria.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the Africa Women Leaders’ Network (AWLN) Roundtable, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, explained that AWLN was established “with a vision to unite African Women Leaders on pertinent issues of peace and security, ending violence against women and girls, inter-generational mentorship, and women’s representation in leadership.”

Eyong noted that UN Women and AWLN, have worked collectively to drive Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (GEWE) in the country.

Commenting on their achievements since the formation of AWLN in 2017, she said: “Our collective achievements include reaching over 15,000 women and girls through the AWLN and Federal Ministry of Women Affairs-led lead humanitarian response to COVID-19.

“AWLN through its extensive network, was able to identify women owned-businesses and spearhead distribution of palliatives to women-led households.

“Today as we take stock of the advancements made in addressing violence against women and girls,we will have to touch on the momentous advocacy led by AWLN and the Nigerian Governors Wives Forum toward the declaration of a State of Emergency on Rape and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

“That is a notable achievement of which we must be proud – over 95% of States have passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.

“AWLN members have further been at the forefront of advocacy on legislation to increase women’s leadership representation as most recently witnessed in the March for Women on five gender bills on political representation and citizenship.”

She, however, underscored the need to sustain pressure on the passage of the Gender Equal Opportunities (GEO) Bill and related legislation that increases women’s representation in governance.

In her keynote address, Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam, Chair AWLN, Nigeria Chapter, further identified all forms of physical, sexual, psychological and socio-economic gender-based violence women and girls in Nigeria have been grappling with.

Para-Mallam who quoted data and figures to buttress the plight of women and girls in Nigeria, said: “The 2023 Global Slavery Index report ranks Nigeria 38/160 countries in trafficking in persons with 1.6 million slaves identified, over 80% of whom are females.

“And, according to NAPTIP 2019-2020 data, about 61% of them are trafficked in-country.

“According to the latest UNCHR data for 2021, 54.9% of the 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) in the North East were women and girls, with children comprising 56.6% of the total.

“Almost 36.8% of the 2.2 million reside in IDP camps where sexual abuse is rife without recourse to formal justice mechanisms.

“The data excludes IDPs from other parts of Nigeria, notably the North Central and the North West where violent attacks on communities, with significant gender impacts, persist.”

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