Violence against women and girls is among the most widespread, and devastating human rights violations in the world, but much it is often unreported due to impunity, shame and gender inequality, according to the UN.
It is a serious violation of human rights and a life-threatening health and protection issue. It is estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime.
The Covid-19 pandemic did not make it any better as hard lockdowns across the world and Africa, made it worse, as thousands of women and girls were not safe at home.
In an event to launch the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence held in Nigeria's capital on November 25, the United Nations Deputy Secretary General Dr. Natalia Kanem said the purpose of the days of activism against GBV is to draw everyone's attention to this thorny issue.
"There is a need to galvanize the collective work of the different groups involved in the fight, to think about new ways of fighting inequalities linked to gender, make new commitments and mobilize more funds to better help vulnerable women and children," said Kanem.
She noted that in Nigeria, despite all the efforts that have been made, a lot of work remains to be done.
"In Nigeria, 1 in 3 girls is a survivor of GBV, 1 in 5 girls is a survivor of female genital mutilation and at 18 years old, 43% of girls are already married."
Women and girls continue to face inequalities in access to health, economic and other resources, education, housing and many other basic human rights simply because of their gender.
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To reassure those involved in the fight against this scourge, she said the UNFPA will not stop fighting until this phenomenon is completely eradicated.
"We must Orange The World so that all the women and girls of the world can decide their own fate and no longer be forced into marriages that can cost them their lives," she said.
Kanem took this opportunity to invite, once again, the Nigerian authorities to join UNFPA's goals of achieving zero cases of women dying while giving birth because "there is no worse tragedy than to die giving life."
"By fighting against violence against women as their own war, the Nigerian government must ensure that this scourge is completely eliminated so that it belongs to our past," she said.
Translated from French by Michael Tantoh, edited by Jerry Chifamba - read the original story by Aminata Sall.
