The Federal Government says it is set to establish an Emergency Gender-Based Violence Response Fund aimed at supporting survivors and boosting services that address violence against women and girls nationwide.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, announced the plan on Friday in Abuja during the launch of a research report on technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
Speaking through her Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Nasir Zakari, the minister said the fund would provide a dedicated financial lifeline to safe spaces, emergency response systems and survivor-support services currently struggling with inadequate funding.
“With this fund, we aim to guarantee operational stability, rapid response and uninterrupted access to care when it is needed most,” she said.
The minister described the experience of GBV survivors as one filled with “pain, uncertainties and vulnerabilities,” noting that Nigerian women and girls continue to face physical and digital violence, including conflict-related attacks and abductions.
“Even as we confront these harsh truths, we also find strength in our collective resolve,” she added.
“Every challenge renews our determination to build a nation where every woman, every child and every family can live in safety, dignity and hope.”
Suleiman-Ibrahim said the unveiling of the research on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence was timely, coinciding with the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
She stressed that online abuse — from cyberbullying to digital harassment — is increasingly shaping the lived experiences of women, including those in politics.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Anas-Ibrahim, said she looked forward to the insights the study offered, especially the testimonies from survivors of online attacks such as cyberbullying, harassment and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
“The findings will help us translate these conversations into concrete actions,” she said.
The event was organised by the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) in partnership with Advancing Learning and Innovation on Gender Norms and funded by the Overseas Development Institute.
In her remarks, the Executive Director of dRPC, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, said the study was especially crucial as institutions such as the National Assembly, INEC and political parties were reviewing their gender policies.
She urged policymakers to adopt the research as a foundation for addressing technology-enabled abuse in Nigeria.
ALIGN-ODI Gender Lead, Dr Jan Michalko, explained that the study formed part of a multi-country research project designed to spotlight the online challenges faced by women in politics and how these experiences limit their participation in governance.
