The French government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerian women from gender-based violence (GBV), stressing that economic autonomy is one of the most powerful safeguards against abuse.

The French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, stated this in an interview with journalists while announcing the success of the French Embassy Fund for Civil Society Organisations (FEF-OSC) Programme, a flagship initiative dedicated to promoting gender equality and the economic empowerment of women and girls across Nigeria.

Fonbaustier said the country’s feminist diplomacy prioritises the fight against GBV in Nigeria.

According to the envoy, preventing GBV goes beyond advocacy, as women’s financial independence remains one of the most powerful safeguards against abuse.

He said: “First of all, we are extremely concerned by any violence which can be gender-based, and to be honest, when we speak about gender-based violence in the vast majority of cases, women or girls are victims. That’s a fact, and it is universal not only in Nigeria but also in all countries, including France.

“We put women and girls at the centre of our projects because reaching economic autonomy is often the first step to being freer and escaping violence”.

Fonbaustier disclosed that through the FEF-OSC programme, which supports 21 locally designed projects across 16 states, the French government has invested in skills training, small-business development and community-based resilience programmes that help women gain economic control over their lives.

He said the programme has generated an average social return on investment of N4.3 Kobo in value for every N1 invested.

While explaining the results of the project, he said, “The real impact is in stories like that of Judith Michael, a mother of three from a Benue IDP camp. Through the programme, she acquired fashion and design skills, putting her on a path to economic independence and dignity.”

Fonbaustier said France is committed to supporting preventive, legal and community-based interventions, but emphasised that primary responsibility lies with Nigerian institutions.

The Ambassador praised Nigerian CSOs as the most effective actors in reaching women in hard-to-access communities where state institutions struggle to operate.

Through the FEF-OSC, he said the CSOs built 546 partnerships with ministries, traditional rulers, and private-sector actors, creating what he described as a fast- and perennially growing ecosystem for GBV prevention and women’s protection.

Fonbaustier said France will continue expanding gender-focused interventions, adding that 100 per cent of its current development programmes in Nigeria now include a gender component, a standard he said goes beyond EU requirements.

The event marked the close of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, with France using the moment to reaffirm its long-term commitment to protecting women and girls.