Stakeholders demand proactive action against gender-based violence, child marriage

Youth leaders, religious authorities and traditional institutions have called for improved survivor protection and greater community engagement to address gender-based violence and child marriage in Nigeria.

The stakeholders made the call at the YouthHubAfrica Men’s Summit 2026, themed “Reimagining Behavioural Change for Gender Justice: Men Championing Gender Equality” on Thursday in Abuja.

The Executive Director of YouthHub Africa, Rotimi Olawale, said the dialogue was designed to engage men and traditional and religious institutions in tackling gender-based violence and promoting equality in communities and workplaces.

Olawale said Nigeria had made significant progress over the past decade through the enactment and domestication of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, but stressed that stronger implementation remained necessary.

He called for greater training of law enforcement agencies to ensure that cases of violence against women are treated seriously and investigated appropriately.

“What we then need to see is a greater enforcement of this law, and also more training for our law enforcement agencies in order to prioritise and see that violence against women is not something to be trivialised,” he said.

Olawale also urged religious institutions to distinguish between cases that require counselling and those that constitute criminal offences requiring the intervention of law enforcement agencies.

He noted that some cases of sexual and gender-based violence, particularly within intimate relationships, are sometimes treated as matters to be resolved within religious settings, with potentially devastating consequences.

According to him, sustained awareness campaigns, stronger legislation and effective implementation are necessary to achieve long-term behavioural change.

Olawale said the fight against SGBV would require sustained advocacy rather than short-term interventions.

He said expanding access to quality education for girls was critical, noting that evidence globally shows that keeping girls in school reduces the likelihood of early marriage.

He also linked education to improved family planning and economic outcomes, arguing that educated families are more likely to prioritise the education and wellbeing of their children.

Olawale called for greater engagement with traditional and religious leaders as well as men, who he said often wield significant influence in their communities.

He argued that educating girls could also strengthen communities by creating a pool of educated women who can contribute to healthcare, child welfare and other sectors.

Also speaking, Rev. Fr. George O. Eusanni called for government agencies, particularly the police, to be better equipped to respond promptly to reports of gender-based violence.

He said survivors should not be subjected to unnecessary delays or insensitive questioning when reporting cases.

According to him, police officers require better training to respond to survivors with empathy rather than asking questions that could appear to blame victims.

“When people suffer things like violation, rape, that’s not the time for judgment. Police should be told how to take the complaints with all empathy and respond adequately,” he said.

Eusanni also urged the government to provide security agencies with the resources, vehicles and other equipment needed to respond effectively when complaints are made.

Also, the FCT Coordinator of the Young Men’s Network, Sabitu Ibrahim Kani, described gender-based violence as a growing menace requiring a change in approach.

Kani said despite years of advocacy and public campaigns, available statistics indicate that violence remains a serious concern.

He called for a “paradigm shift” in addressing the problem and urged stakeholders to treat SGBV as a national emergency.

He also criticised what he described as inadequate government action, particularly the failure to ensure that perpetrators face justice.

According to him, survivors often continue to suffer trauma because they are unable to obtain justice after reporting cases.

Kani said civil society organisations and youth networks remained willing to collaborate with government and other partners to intensify interventions against gender-based violence.

Also, Esta of Chika community in Airport Road, HRH Istifanu Shegaje, said traditional and religious leaders should work together through regular community forums to address social problems, including gender disparities and violence against women.

He explained that in his community, traditional and religious leaders are brought together periodically to discuss challenges affecting different ethnic and religious groups.

He said quarterly town hall meetings also provide an avenue to engage landlords and residents while religious leaders help disseminate relevant information through churches and mosques.

“It’s very important that we as leaders should take it upon ourselves to make sure that this information goes to every angle,” he said.