By Chidi Ugwu
Fame Foundation on Monday decried the increasing incidences of killing of women and girls otherwise known as femicide saying the development has become become a pandemic which calls for a declaration of a state of emergency.
Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Executive Director of FAME Foundation, addressing journalists during a press conference, emphasized the urgent need to address femicide in Nigeria, labeling it a pandemic.
She highlighted alarming statistics, including over 27,000 cases of sexual and gender-based violence reported in the last three years.
Atoyebi called for stronger laws and public education to combat harmful gender norms.
According to her, recent femicide cases illustrate the crisis, with victims like Damilola and Christianah who were tragically murdered recently highlighting the issue.
FAME Foundation, she said is actively advocating for victims and pushing for legal reforms to ensure justice and safety for women and girls in Nigeria
“The girlchild, young women, young female adults are endangered in Nigeria. Femicide has become a pandemic and a state of emergency needs to be declared on this often-overlooked issue. Victim blaming must end.
Femicide, the intentional killing of women and girls because they are female, is a serious crime that is on the rise in Nigeria. It often stems from ongoing patterns of violence against women, driven by deep-rooted beliefs that men should have control over women.
Globally, femicide is seen as a violation of human rights, with the United Nations reporting that more than 89,000 women and girls were killed in 2022 and 2023.
“A 2022 report alone, it was reported that at least 401 women died from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria
“In Nigeria, femicide is often concealed due to societal stigma, fear of retaliation, or shame experienced by the victims’ families. Many cases go unreported, leaving families devastated and perpetuating a culture of silence. The imbalance of power between men and women fuels this violence, with men feeling entitled to control women, even if it means taking their lives.
The situation is now critical, the FG says Nigeria records 27,698 SGBV cases in the last three years.Some recent cases of the current reality” she said.
Atoyebi called for a united effort in Nigeria to combat the alarming rise of femicide, urging government, civil society, and citizens to act against violence towards women.
She emphasizes the importance of strengthening laws and ensuring their enforcement while challenging harmful social norms that perpetuate violence.
“We urge the government, civil society organizations, parents, religious bodies, traditional and community leader, and all citizens of Nigeria to unite in the fight against femicide. Silence is not an option while women and girls are brutally murdered – just like that.
“We call on the government to strengthen laws addressing femicide and ensure they are properly enforced. Media organizations must raise awareness and challenge the harmful social norms that perpetuate this violence, while communities need to remain vigilant, support victims, and hold perpetrators accountable. Men, in particular, should become allies in promoting gender equality and preventing gender-based violence”.
