By
Tosan Julia Anthony-Nwosu
Abstract
Violence against women (VAW), commonly known as gender-based violence constitutes a serious violation of the fundamental human rights of women and girls. It remains one of the most pervasive crimes experienced worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive action. Such violence manifests across various environment, including homes, workplaces, communities, and in digital spaces. Rooted in historical gender inequalities, this phenomenon causes profound physical, social, psychological, and economic harm to women. The paper appraises the human rights perspective on VAW in Nigeria and evaluates the legal frameworks established to protect women’s rights in the country while showcasing various human rights approaches to counter violence against women. Additionally, the paper examines the duties of the government to respect and guarantee women’s rights. It emphasizes the necessity for the government to prevent VAW, conduct thorough investigations, prosecute offenders and provide protection and redress for victims. Using doctrinal research method, the findings of this work illustrate that a human rights approach to the problem not only affirms the dignity of women but also engages all stakeholders in the pursuit of accountability and respect for these rights. The paper highlights the necessity of cooperation between the judiciary, law enforcement, community leaders and healthcare professionals to establish a welcoming atmosphere for women seeking justice. It also advocates for aggressive and ongoing public awareness campaigns to educate women about their rights and suggests that the government set up a dedicated reporting desk in each police station across the federation to facilitate prompt and easy victim reporting and investigations.