Nigeria: Data's Importance in Fighting the Shadow Pandemic - Gender-Based Violence By Ayisha Osori and Chitra Nagarajan

opinion

As governments and activists across the world respond to the increase in gender-based violence during the COVID19 pandemic, Nigeria's response raises questions about how well (lack of) data influences advocacy and policy. In an ideal world, federal and state governments would know gender-based violence always increases during health crises, insecurity, heightened fear, and economic shocks. They would prioritise and plan accordingly to ensure services are in place to prevent and respond to violence.

This is not our wold. Prior to COVID19, Nigeria was known for a high incidence of gender-based violence. A UNICEF studyrevealed that one in four girls (and one in ten boys) experienced sexual violence before the age of 18. There have been widespread verified reports of sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls in northern Nigeria by camp officials, vigilante members and soldiers. The sex for grades scandal of 2019 and the resistance of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to a bill to address sextortion in tertiary institutions is a recent example of a culture of abuse of power.

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