Sexual Violence Drops from 9% to 5%

The United Nations (UN) Women has said cases of sexual violence against women in Nigeria have dropped from 9 percent in 2018 to 5 percent in 2024.

The agency disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the close-out of the LEAP Project, a three-year programme funded by the Ford Foundation and implemented by UN Women between 2023 and 2026.

Speaking on behalf of UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, Acting Deputy Representative Patience Ekeoba said the figures came from the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.

According to the report, physical violence against women since the age of 15 also dropped from 31 percent in 2018 to 19 percent in 2024, while intimate partner violence declined from 36 percent to 23 percent.

The report further showed that the rate of female genital mutilation fell from 20 percent in 2018 to 14 percent in 2024.

Eyong said the progress reflects the impact of working with traditional and religious leaders to promote gender equality and discourage harmful cultural practices.

“The 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey provides encouraging signs that sustained investments in prevention are contributing to positive change,” she said.

Despite the progress, she noted that more support is needed for survivors of gender-based violence.

“The decline in help-seeking among survivors tells us that prevention must be matched with stronger survivor-centred services, accessible reporting mechanisms, reduced stigma and greater investments in justice, protection and psychosocial support,” she added.

UN Women also announced a new programme funded by the Ford Foundation to tackle gender-based violence in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal.

The initiative will focus on harmful social norms and technology-related abuse, including online harassment, cyberstalking and the sharing of intimate images without consent.

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