The Federal Government has unveiled plans to create an emergency response fund aimed at tackling gender-based violence (GBV) and strengthening essential services for survivors.
Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, announced this during the public presentation of a research report on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).
The programme was hosted in Abuja by the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), in partnership with the Advancing Learning and Innovation on Gender Norms (ALiGN) and supported by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI).
Represented by her Special Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Nasiru Zakari, the minister explained that the Emergency GBV Response Fund will serve as a protected pool of resources crafted to close major financial gaps affecting safe shelters, urgent interventions and survivor-care structures.
“With this fund, we aim to guarantee operational stability, rapid response and uninterrupted access to care when it is needed most,” she said.
Suleiman-Ibrahim described the ordeal of survivors as defined by “pain, uncertainties and vulnerabilities,” noting that many Nigerian women and girls still experience multiple forms of abuse, from physical assault to online violations.
She reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to building a country where every woman and child can live with dignity and security.
She added that releasing the TFGBV research is particularly significant as it coincides with the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Ending violence, she said, “is not only a women’s concern; it is a national moral imperative.”
Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr. Salma Anas-Ibrahim, expressed optimism that the research insights will play a vital role in tackling TFGBV, especially within political environments.
She said that understanding how women cope with and react to digital intimidation, along with how party systems influence outcomes, will help turn conversations into actionable reforms.
Executive Director of dRPC, Dr. Judith-Ann Walker, emphasised the significance of the report for the ongoing gender policy reviews by the National Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties.
She encouraged these institutions to rely on the findings as a foundation for reducing TFGBV across the country.
Dr. Jan Michalko, ALiGN-ODI Gender Lead, stated that the research contributes to a global initiative spotlighting the digital barriers confronting women in politics, barriers that often hinder their participation in national progress.
