RIGHTS PROTECTED, JUSTICE SERVED? EXAMINING NIGERIA’S LEGAL INTERVENTION TO ITS SURGING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Abstract

The World Health Organization reports that approximately one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence during her lifetime. In Nigeria, gender-based violence (GBV) against women remains pervasive, manifesting in domestic and intimate-partner violence, harmful traditional practices, sexual violence, and other forms of physical and psychological abuse. Although Nigeria has enacted legislation aimed at preventing GBV and protecting survivors, the existence of legal safeguards does not always translate into effective access to justice. This study examines the challenges confronting Nigeria’s legal framework for protecting women against GBV. The findings reveal that gaps in enforcement, underreporting, and limited access to legal services impede survivors’ ability to obtain meaningful protection. These challenges disproportionately affect women in vulnerable circumstances, for whom justice may remain practically inaccessible despite the existence of formal legal safeguards. The study concludes that effective protection against GBV requires more than the enactment of legislation; it demands the practical implementation of legal protections to ensure that justice is accessible and attainable. Accordingly, the paper recommends strengthening institutional capacity, promoting sustained public education on GBV, establishing accessible and simplified reporting mechanisms, expanding access to legal aid and support services, and expediting GBV proceedings while safeguarding survivors’ rights and dignity. These reforms are essential to bridging the gap between legal protection and the actual delivery of justice to women affected by gender-based violence.