The Federal Government has announced plans to create an Emergency Gender-Based Violence Response Fund to support survivors and strengthen services addressing violence against women and girls across the country.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the launch of a research report on technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
Represented by her Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Nasir Zakari, the minister said the proposed fund would serve as a dedicated financial mechanism to close critical funding gaps affecting safe spaces, emergency response systems and survivor support services.
“With this fund, we aim to guarantee operational stability, rapid response, and uninterrupted access to care when it is needed most,” she said.
Suleiman-Ibrahim described the situation faced by survivors of GBV as one marked by “pain, uncertainties, and vulnerabilities,” noting that Nigerian women and girls continue to suffer physical and digital abuse, including abductions and violence linked to conflict.
“Yet, even as we confront these harsh truths, we also find strength in our collective resolve. Every challenge renews our determination to build a nation where every woman, every child, and every family can live in safety, dignity, and hope,” she added.
The minister said the launch of the research on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) was particularly timely as the world marks the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
She stressed that digital forms of abuse are just as harmful as physical violence and are increasingly shaping the experiences of women and girls, including those seeking political office.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Anas-Ibrahim, said she was eager to learn from the report, especially the testimonies of survivors of online abuse such as cyberbullying, harassment and the non-consensual sharing of private images.
She said the findings would guide stakeholders in translating discussions into concrete action.
The event was organised by the Development Research and Projects Centre in collaboration with Advancing Learning and Innovation on Gender Norms and funded by the Overseas Development Institute.
In her welcome remarks, the Executive Director of dRPC, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, said the research findings were crucial at a time when the National Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and political parties were reviewing their gender policies.
She urged policymakers and other stakeholders to adopt the findings as a baseline for addressing technology-facilitated GBV in Nigeria.
ALIGN-ODI Gender Lead, Dr Jan Michalko, said the study was part of a multi-country research effort designed to highlight the online challenges faced by women in politics and how such experiences hinder their contributions to national development.
