Female lawyers in Nigeria are pointing fingers at religion and culture as key factors fueling the escalating cases of gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls. The National President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Mrs Amina Agbaje, made this assertion during a two-day annual dialogue on GBV in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Agbaje emphasized that the increasing violence is driven by a complex interplay of faith, culture, economic, political, historical, and other social factors. She called on religious leaders to serve as change agents and advocates for women’s and girls’ rights, urging them to abdicate social norms and beliefs that perpetuate GBV through effective messaging and campaigns.
The FIDA Chairperson in Ekiti State, Oyinade Olatunbosun, also stressed the critical role religious leaders can play in preventing GBV. She highlighted that most cases of GBV are shielded by cultural and religious factors, and that collective attention and advocacy are necessary to end this scourge. The dialogue, supported by the Ford Foundation, aimed to strategize with religious leaders on how to curtail the factors promoting GBV in Ekiti State.
Rita Abba, the Coordinator of the Ford Foundation Project at FIDA Nigeria, lamented the increasing cases of GBV and emphasized the need for a change in mindset through education and awareness. She believes that if people are educated and aware, it will go a long way in changing general behavior across communities, ultimately contributing to the long-term goal of ending and mitigating GBV.
