UN Women’s recent assessment found that there must be a widespread awareness of sexual and gender-based violence legislation, so as to empower citizens and hold authorities accountable.
This was revealed at a press conference in Abuja by Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, ahead of Olubumi Uluba’s planned 220-hour Guinness World Record attempt to read out loud SGBV laws, frameworks and legal instruments from 15 African countries including Nigeria.
The advocacy initiative aims to raise public awareness of laws and policies on SGBV and to encourage stronger implementation, legal literacy and cross-country learning in the fight against violence.
Eyong said people who do not know their legal rights cannot demand justice effectively, explaining why UN Women is supporting the initiative.
“This marathon is very, very important because if you don’t know the laws, if you don’t know what has been written about sexual and gender-based violence, you cannot claim your rights,” she said.
The same challenge is faced by duty-bearers assigned to implement the laws and policies, she noted. African countries had made commitments thru international and regional instruments including protocols on women’s rights and gender-based violence, but challenges remained in domestication and implementation.
Eyong mentioned that the initiative will therefore help in drawing more attention to the existing legal structures and at the same time give an opportunity for African countries to learn from each other.
The campaign would also highlight areas for improvement in the legal and institutional responses of countries by studying best practices across jurisdictions, she said.
“The significance of the initiative is not only for Nigeria and the other participating African countries as the record attempt is expected to garner international attention. It has not been done before,” she said, adding the “initiative could take the conversation about SGBV laws to a global audience.”
The UN Women representative also warned against treating gender-based violence as a private or social issue, pointing to its broader impact on national development.
“Studies have shown that gender-based violence may have major economic impacts, including lowering a country’s gross domestic product. It’s more than just a social thing. And it’s not only health. It’s not just a home thing. It is something that shapes who we are, shapes how others see us, shapes our economic growth,” Eyong said.
She further emphasized that SGBV was not just a women’s issue, as men and boys could also be victims.“It’s not just for women, it’s for men. And it’s not just for women’s classes,” she said.
Dr. Abiodun Eseyat said the campaign would be used to enhance community engagement, SGBV prevention and survivor support. She stressed the importance of raising public awareness of legal protections and appealed to traditional and religious leaders to help educate communities.
Eseyat further revealed that there were ongoing efforts to strengthen Sexual Assault Referral Centers, improve support for survivors, review the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and to encourage the National Assembly to fast-track gender-related legislation.
