By Nkechi Eze
The Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) – The Electoral Hub has called for urgent, coordinated action to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in Nigeria, including the rapidly growing threat of digital and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. The organisation made the call in a statement signed by its Director, Princess Hamman-Obels, to mark the 2025 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the commencement of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Princess Hamman-Obels stressed that violence against women and girls must be addressed in all its dimensions, insisting that online abuse, harassment, surveillance, non-consensual image sharing, cyberstalking, deepfakes and other forms of digital violence should be treated with the same seriousness and urgency as physical violence. She noted that ending violence requires collective responsibility, accountability, and a fundamental shift in social norms that continue to enable gender-based harm.
This year’s theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls,” underscores the increasing weaponization of technology to silence, exploit and violate women. IRIAD emphasized that these digital acts are not minor online inconveniences but constitute human rights violations with far-reaching psychological, social, political and economic consequences. The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to ending all forms of violence against women as the global campaign runs from November 25 to December 10, which also marks International Human Rights Day.
The global statistics, according to the United Nations, show a deeply troubling crisis, with nearly one in three women worldwide having experienced physical or sexual violence. In 2023 alone, an estimated 51,100 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members—one every ten minutes. IRIAD noted that Nigeria mirrors these global trends. The 2022 Spotlight Initiative reveals that about 30 percent of Nigerian women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical or sexual violence, while more than 30,000 cases of gender-based violence were reported between 2020 and 2024. In 2024, at least 133 women and girls were reportedly killed in GBV-related incidents, while national estimates show that one in three Nigerian women will experience gender-based violence in her lifetime.
Beyond prevalence, the organisation raised major concerns about Nigeria’s justice gap. In 2024, the Nigeria Police Force handled 17,415 GBV cases but secured only 409 convictions, leaving thousands of survivors without justice and reinforcing impunity. Many more cases go unreported due to stigma, fear, and societal pressure. IRIAD also highlighted the severity of digital gender-based violence in Nigeria, which continues to rise in the absence of comprehensive legal frameworks addressing technology-facilitated abuse. It warned that online spaces risk becoming unregulated environments where violence thrives unchecked.
Princess Hamman-Obels stressed the need for stronger legal protections, improved law enforcement capacity, survivor-centered justice systems, technology company accountability, and increased public awareness. She noted that government institutions, accountability agencies such as NITDA and the NDPC, civil society organisations, technology platforms, traditional institutions, communities and citizens all have critical roles to play in combating both offline and online violence. According to her, safety must be integrated into national policy, institutional frameworks, community norms, and digital systems to prevent further harm.
She further urged citizens to reject all forms of victim-blaming, report abuse, challenge harmful stereotypes, and support survivors. The media, she said, must also play a responsible role by protecting survivor identities, avoiding sensationalism, and using their platforms to promote accurate information and raise awareness about the different forms of violence.
As the 2025 16 Days of Activism continues, IRIAD reiterated that every woman and girl deserves dignity, freedom, opportunity and safety, whether online or offline. The organisation called for renewed national commitment, insisting that ending gender-based violence is not only a moral obligation but also essential for sustainable development and national progress.
