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

Abstract

The World Health Organization reports that about one in three women globally experiences physical or sexual violence in 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 laws intended to prevent GBV and protect survivors, legal protections do not always translate into effective access to justice. This study examines the challenges facing Nigeria’s legal framework for protecting women against GBV. Its findings reveal that lacunae in enforcement, underreporting, and difficulties accessing legal services can prevent survivors from obtaining meaningful protection. The study concludes that protecting women against GBV requires more than the establishment of laws; it also demands that, in reality, these codified protections manifest into justice served. Therefore, this paper recommends strengthened institutional capacity, sustained public education on GBV, accessible among other salient recommendations. These reforms are necessary to ensure that the rights protected translate in reality to justice served.