United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has lamented the rise in gender based violence saying about one million crimes related to violence against women and girls were recorded in year 2022 and 2023, amounting to 20% of all police-recorded crime.
The UNODC’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Cheikh Toure, who disclosed this at the Launch of Activities marking the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Base Violence, in Abuja, Nigeria.
He also stressed that, one in two women become victims each year, with the true number likely much higher, which calls for holistic approach to addressing the issue.
He said, “This year’s theme: “Unite to End Violence Against Women,” isn’t just a catchy slogan; but a powerful rallying cry for accountability and action. It’s a call to arms.
“We need action, not words. Accountability, not excuses. Resources, not empty promises. We must demand that all duty bearers especially states take decisive steps to address the issues highlighted in the 30-year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: accountability, recommitment, and resourcing.”
Toure lamented that lack of data on femicide in most African countries is hindering the fight against gender-based violence.
“Women’s limited access to public sector roles perpetuates inequalities and fuels structural violence and that’s just the tip of the iceberg—a grim reminder of the entrenched gender inequalities that persist worldwide. Femicide occurs in every region, with family members or intimate partners responsible for over half of these killings. This means that home, which should be a sanctuary, often becomes a site of violence. Most victims don’t report their abuse. Why? Because society still too often blames the victim, denies them support, and fails to deliver justice.
“Addressing these gaps requires a fundamental shift in policies and societal norms. We must ensure that women have equal access to public institutions and opportunities in public life. This is not just about fairness; it is about preventing deepened gender inequalities that can culminate in the most extreme manifestation of violenc, femicide.”
The Country Representative, highlighted strategies developed by UNODC in responding to crisis.
“UNODC has developed Femicide Reviews to analyze these tragic events comprehensively. These reviews go beyond individual cases to examine healthcare providers and social services. By understanding these dynamics, we can create policies that prevent future tragedies. The idea with a Femicide Review is to go beyond the decision of individual responsibility and look at the level of social responsibility. By understanding these dynamics, we can create policies that prevent future tragedies. As one of my UNODC colleagues aptly stated, The idea with a Femicide Review is to go beyond the decision of individual responsibility and look at the level of social responsibility.”
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship and Leadership, Rinsola Abiola, emphasised that to properly contextualise the issue of enhanced rights for women, women’s rights must be recognised as human rights by all.
“I would also like to urge our lawmakers especially to prioritise women’s rights and gender equity, as women constitute roughly half of our nation’s population and it is by empowering both halves of society that we can attain our full potential. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu understands the role that women play all too well, and it is why Nigeria have women occupying key executive and advisory positions in the Renewed Hope administration, contributing their quota to national growth and advancement,” she said.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande who was represented by the National Public Relation Officer, Youth Council, Dotun Omoleye, while UNODC’s efforts in addressing GBV, explained that GBV is a menace that requires a collective effort to curtailing it, adding that, there was the need for sustained action beyond the 16 Days of Activism.
“It is essential for us to continue to support every fight against gender-based violence and our role as leaders is to continue to see how we can advocate for stronger policies, and resources to prevent gender-based violence and continue advocating for policies and resources that support survivors of GBV and prevent future incidents.”
The event with the themed, “Unite to End Violence Against Women,” was organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship and Leadership(OSSAP-CL) in collaboration with UNODC.
The event draw participants across different sectors including students.
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