— Experts Call for Policy and Enforcement Measures
Leading human rights scholars and practitioners have urged the Nigerian government to leverage its existing commitments under international and domestic law to eliminate violence against women with disabilities. They made this appeal during a webinar themed “Violence, Disability and Women’s Rights in Nigeria,” organized by the Committee on Women, International Law, and Development of the International Law Association Nigeria (ILA Nigeria), to commemorate the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Committee member Jumoke Odediji moderated the webinar, which featured presentations by Dr. Obioha Ben-Okoro, a technical assistant to the United Nations Tripartite Partnership Programme, and Dr. Anwuli Ofuani-Sokolo, an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Benin, Nigeria.
In welcoming participants, Committee Chair Dr. Pedi Obani, who is also an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Bradford, highlighted that this year’s 16 Days of Activism global theme focuses on ending digital violence and abuse against all women and girls. She emphasized that, “The online space provides us opportunities to connect, to collaborate, to work together across different locations, wherever we may be. At the same time, we know that the online space is not always safe for women and girls.” She called for the creation of a safe online environment for women and girls to address the disproportionate negative impacts and outcomes experienced by women in these spaces.
In his remarks, Dr. Ben-Okoro discussed the various forms of violence women face, including physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence. Citing data from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), he stated that the NHRC received 2,509 reports of gender-based discrimination in October 2025, along with 514 reports of harmful cultural practices, and 484 reports of trafficking in women, among other alarming statistics. Dr. Ben-Okoro pointed out that violence against women worsens in certain contexts, such as climate-vulnerable areas, detention centers, women on death row, and conflict zones. He also stressed the intersection of disability and women’s rights, noting that women with disabilities face discrimination because of their gender and disability. He lamented that existing domestic frameworks, such as the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, address disability broadly without focusing on women-specific issues, making women with disabilities invisible in policy making and implementation. However, he emphasized that there is “No need for new laws; Nigeria’s ratification of the African Disability Protocol and endorsement of the Amman-Berlin Declaration already provide binding frameworks.” Therefore, he urged Nigeria to leverage these commitments to promote the rights, dignity, and safety of women with disabilities.
Dr. Ofuani-Sokolo highlighted that approximately 25 million persons with disabilities live in Nigeria, with women and girls constituting a significant portion. She lamented that, “Women with disabilities are at least two to three times more likely than other women to experience violence, including from family, intimate partners, caregivers, and institutional facilities.” According to her, this violence occurs at multiple levels—from society, institutions, and sometimes from families and caregivers—and is driven by patriarchal norms, economic dependence, and communication barriers, among other factors. She proposed solutions such as strengthening law enforcement, increasing awareness and education, ensuring service accessibility, promoting economic empowerment, collecting disaggregated data, and fostering multistakeholder collaboration. In closing, she emphasized that, “Violence against women with disabilities is more than a women’s issue or a disability issue—it is a human rights issue.”
In the closing remarks, Dr. Irekpitan Okukpon, Associate Professor at the University of Bradford, stressed the importance of addressing the intersections between gender-based violence, disability, and women’s rights. She highlighted the Committee’s efforts in raising awareness about issues affecting women’s rights and gender equality across different contexts.
ILA Nigeria is a branch of the International Law Association, founded in Brussels in 1873. The Nigerian Branch regularly hosts innovative lectures, seminars, conferences, and capacity-building programs to advance understanding of international law in Nigeria. Its committees, such as the Committee on Women, International Law and Development, serve as its focal points for contributing to research, capacity development, and dialogue around key thematic areas of international law. To learn more about ILA Nigeria, its activities, and upcoming events, visit http://www.ilanigeria.org.ng
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