Abuja: The UN Women has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening policy frameworks, enhancing digital safety, and promoting accountability for online harms in Nigeria. Ms Nyara Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN Women, made this announcement at a news conference in Abuja. The event was part of Gumbonzvanda’s high-level mission to Nigeria and the commemoration of the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the visit aims to deepen partnerships, reinforce national leadership, and accelerate collective action to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Nigeria. Gumbonzvanda highlighted the rising concern of technology-facilitated GBV, which is increasing both globally and nationally. She noted that between 16 per cent and 58 per cent of women worldwide experience some form of online or technology-facilitated GBV, depending on the region. UN Women is collaborating with the Nigerian government and stakeholders to support policy enhancements and promote accountability for online harms.
Gumbonzvanda also praised the National Assembly’s efforts to strengthen legislation protecting women and girls and advancing women’s participation in governance. However, she expressed concern over the low representation of women in the National Assembly, which is currently at 3.8 per cent, significantly lower than the global average of 27.2 per cent. She emphasized the importance of legislative reforms like affirmative action, quotas, and the proposed special seats bill as tools to increase women’s participation.
Addressing the broader issue of violence against women, Gumbonzvanda pointed out that nearly one in three women globally experiences physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. She stressed the importance of effective legal frameworks and inclusive governance to reverse this trend. On the topic of insecurity in Nigeria, she called for the release of abducted girls and stressed the necessity of ensuring every girl’s right to security and education.
Gumbonzvanda also highlighted the impact of UN Women’s initiatives in communities, such as the commissioning of new WASH facilities and the rehabilitation of an agro-processing centre in Kwali, aimed at improving women’s safety, reducing time burdens, and expanding income-generating opportunities. She concluded by stating that UN Women will continue to mobilize partnerships across government, development partners, and the private sector to equip frontline organizations and national institutions with the necessary resources for creating lasting change.