The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has advocated the need for stronger, gender-responsive legislation and increased accountability from both religious and community leaders to curb the rising menace of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Lagos State.

The stakeholders in the judicial sector gave the charge during a one-day dialogue in conjunction with the Ford Foundation.

In her welcome address, Vice Chairperson of FIDA, Clara Mbachu, who represented the Chairperson, Eliana Martins, stressed the urgent need of strengthening the laws that protect women and girls.

She noted that although several GBV laws exist, their effectiveness is often undermined by weak enforcement, inconsistencies and poor alignment with evolving societal realities.

Mbachu said that the dialogue builds on FIDA Nigeria’s 2025 stakeholders’ engagement, which highlighted critical gaps, including weak institutional coordination, inadequate survivor support systems and low public awareness.

She said that this year’s session focused on harmonising state laws with national statutes and international human rights standards, while also addressing how cultural and religious beliefs influence enforcement.

According to her, tackling GBV goes beyond legislation and requires confronting harmful social norms and practices that hinder justice.

She, therefore, stressed the need for sustained collaboration, accountability and continuous monitoring of implementation efforts.

FIDA Nigeria Senior Project Manager, Fikih Obaro, who spoke on safeguarding within religious spaces, called for the development and enforcement of structured safeguarding policies in faith-based institutions to protect women and girls.

Obaro said that recent engagements highlighted the need for “homegrown” policies and codes of conduct tailored to religious environments, stressing that religious leaders must take responsibility for implementing and enforcing these measures to ensure accountability.

Also speaking, the Facilitator, Dr Ihuoma Ilobinso of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG), underscored the importance of collaboration between religious leaders and government in combating GBV.

Ilobinso, who described Nigeria as a deeply religious society where faith leaders wield significant influence over public attitudes, noted that while laws are essential, progress depends on community actors educating citizens on the dangers of GBV.

She said that the government must ensure proper enforcement of laws, adequate funding of institutions and regular policy reviews to guarantee protection for women and all victims.

However, participants at the event agreed that sustained partnerships between government, religious institutions and civil society organisations are critical to achieving lasting change and preventing gender-based violence.