Over 35 per cent of women in Nigeria allegedly experience one form of physical violence or the other, according to Otive Igbuzor, the Executive Director, African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD)
He said this during the launch of the Male Feminist Network (MFN), on Friday, in Abuja.
Igbuzor, who noted that gender-based violence remains one of the most persistent human rights violations in Nigeria and across the world, cited statistics from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and the National Bureau of Statistics.
He added that millions of women face emotional, sexual, and economic abuse, adding that patriarchal norms, entrenched in cultural, social, and even legal systems, fuel these injustices.
He claimed that too often, men are either direct perpetrators of violence or passive bystanders when harmful practices are carried out against women in the society.
He insisted that it is time for a shift from the obnoxious practices since men cannot keep expecting women alone to bear the burden of the fight.
He particularly stressed the need for men to become vocal advocates for women’s rights in markets, town halls, religious gatherings, and social spaces
“Men hold influence in homes, workplaces, religious communities, politics, and traditional institutions — and when that influence is aligned with feminist values, the change is profound. Imagine a Nigeria where the majority of men embrace feminist principles. In our homes, husbands and fathers treat their wives and daughters with respect, share domestic responsibilities, and raise children free from harmful gender stereotypes.
“In governance, men champion policies that advance gender equality and protect women from violence, not as a favour, but as a duty. The benefits extend to men as well – stronger, healthier relationships; safer communities; reduced crime; and a society where every citizen can thrive without fear or exclusion,” he added.
Decrying the exclusion of women from governance over the years, he said: “In Nigeria, the situation is more precarious. Men gained voting rights in 1922 through the Clifford Constitution but women all over Nigeria gained voting rights in 1979 through the 1979 Constitution – a 57-year gap. The early constitutions in Nigeria (1922 Clifford, 1946 Richards, 1951 Macpherson) restricted suffrage to adult males.
“Women and girls suffer systematic disadvantages, worse for those in the poorest states and sectors. Sixty to 79 per cent of the rural workforce are women, but men are five times more likely to own land. Women with dependants pay more tax than men. Women in formal employment earn less than men. Nearly five times as many judges and permanent secretaries are men compared to women.”
He explained that the MFN is a bold and necessary initiative aimed at expanding male allyship and ensuring that men are not silent bystanders in the face of violence, but active partners in dismantling the patriarchal systems that perpetuate it.
He disclosed that over the next two years, through the support of the Ford Foundation, his outfit would work with zonal partners to train and mobilise at least 1,000 male leaders and grassroots influencers in gender advocacy and feminist principles.
