Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a worldwide phenomenon which the United Nations estimated to cost the global economy about $8 trillion having one in three women experience either physical or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. ADEOLA TUKURU reports.
Reports by feminist analysts estimated 30 per cent of girls and women aged between 15 and 49 reported to have experienced sexual abuse.
Feminist analysts under the umbrella of the Nigerian Feminist Forum, a non- governmental organisation also observed that most studies on violence in Nigeria discuss domestic violence or some forms of sexual violence but lack a comprehensive feminist view of VAWG and its costs and impacts on communities, businesses, and the national economy.
Further from NFF which comprised of surveys, interviews and questioners, shared across both women and men who occupy spaces in both formal and informal sectors, realized that costs of VAWG are high and multi-fold.
According to the focal person of NFF, Chinonso Okechukwu estimated costs to health hampers women’s sexual reproductive health and rights and even access to social relationships and productivity for individuals, their families and communities.
The VAWG deepens household poverty by out-of-pocket expenditures that arise to address medical and legal issues that result from violence.
Additionally, it affects the vibrancy of communities as women’s participation and leadership decline. Putting in mind that Nigeria as a middle income country has made no progress in improving the status of women, Nigeria currently ranks 133rd out of 149 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, a huge decline in progression from her previous ranking rated at 106th in 2013 and 2018 respectively.
With the breaking of a new dawn, opportunities are shrinking for Nigerian women in terms of participation in politics, attainment of educational heights, health, and even survival, and all of these accumulate to have profound effects on the Nigerian economy and society.
Challenges of the violence against women and Girls
Among the many challenges which Nigeria faces to forge a sustainable development path which includes climate change, global financial and energy crises, terrorism and extremism; as well as serious deficiencies in education, health, gender equality and social services, Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) receive relatively little attention.
While the problem is recognized as an abuse of human rights and a public health challenge, the threat that it poses to Nigerian society and economic development has not been fully described or quantified.
As the widest spread form of abuse nationwide and even globally with manifestations in forms of Rape, intimate person violence, sexual gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, discrimination and harassment at work places, VAWG limits progress towards the millennium development goals, violates women and girls human rights, and can definitely have a negative impact on long term peace and stability.
Furthermore, a quick look at the mechanisms which have been put in place to protect women and girls show an in-balance as the centre of focus is often times neglected thereby defeating the aim of existentiality.
Patriarchy
For decades, NFF said women rights activists researchers, and programmers have emphasized how patriarchal systems shape social expectations, in both functional and ideological terms, to maintain male superiority over women, and this understanding has been affirmed in international declarations (Declaration on the elimination of Violence against women).
Accordingly patriarchy which encourages Gender inequalityis understood as the root cause of VAWG which must be centrally addressed in prevention programming.
Structural inequality on VAWG
“Placing a category of people at an unequal status in relation to other categories of people has also encouraged VAWG. This relationship is perpetuated and reinforced by a confluence of unequal relations in roles, functions, decisions, rights and opportunities.
“In a relatable context, we see structural inequality play out in health disparities wheresocial disadvantaged groups (women inclusive) systemically experience worse health or greater health risks.
Tradition and norms/ religion on VAWG
“Long age traditions and norms have for so long encouraged the prevalence of VAWG. The historical beliefs that female genital mutilation is absolutely necessary to ensure that females do not give in to sexual desires at an early age, the believe that a man solely determines the number of children he wishes to have and the spacing required to have these children, the believe that it is the woman’s sole responsibility to bear male children, and should she not, be humiliated and made to feel worthless, the believe that it is entirely the woman’s problem should she not bear children at all, and based on religion that a woman does not own the autonomy to her bodyto do as she pleases, which includes experiencing and experimenting with sexual desires to achieve sexual pleasures, are all forms of violence against women and girls.
“Also the ideology that the woman was made out of a man’s rib and should be submissive to a man’s bidding throws a lot of advantage to the men and subdues the woman’s capacity as an individual to function efficiently in the society.
Poor implementation and political will
The group identified that the federal government’s nonchalant attitude towards issues concerning violence against women and girls, which gives rise to poor enforcement and implementation of existing policies and framework that supports and protects women, also give rise to the prevalence of VAWG.
The impact of VAWG on Sexual Reproductive Health and Right
The reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.
“Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.
“VAWG negatively impacts on the sexual reproductive health and rights of women, and is linked to many serious health problems for women, both at the time violence occurs and throughout life; VAWG causes severe physical and mental health consequences, and serious SRHR consequences such as low birth weight, premature labour, preterm delivery, miscarriage and fetal loss which are as a result of violence during pregnancy.
The group said “VAWG is increasingly a risk factor for a variety of diseases and conditions and not just as a health problem in and of itself; these health consequences include injuries, gynecological disorders, mental health problems, adverse pregnancy outcomes and STIs.
“VAWG dis-empowers women in multiple ways with less autonomy, due to the control exerted by their partners; women may not be free to insist on condom use during sexual intercourse, or even for contraceptives; denying women their reproductive rights and right to sexual health.
“Both VAWG and the associated health consequences are costly for societies and their health systems, as evidence generally suggeststhat women who experience or have survived violence, have more health problems and use physical and mental health services more than other women.
“It is also important to note that there is agrowing body of evidence on the linkages between VAWG and HIV, and there is a consensus that addressing VAWG is an essentialcomponent in all HIV programs.
Impact of VAWG on sustainable development
Violence against women and girls brings huge economic costs to any society; the direct cost of the health system, counseling and other related services, the justice system, child and welfare support, as well as indirect costs, such as lost wages, productivity and potential, are just a part of what societies pay for violence against women.
The negative impact on women’s participation in education, employment and civic life undermines poverty reduction. It results in lost employment and productivity, and it drains resources from social services, the justice system, health-care agencies and employers.
Knowing the costs of violence is remarkably powerful for understanding and for advocacy action to support women, to prevent abuse and to punish perpetrators.
Call to action
To ensure growth and sustainable development in Nigeria, the group said a gender inclusive narrative must be sustained and the Nigerian government should; Recognize that VAWG is a pandemic that should be given immediate attention.
They called for the need to adopt policies that promote protect and advance the rights of women and girls, to enable for a more developed society, whilst ending violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
