Gender-based violence and human security: implications for development in Nigeria

Yetunde A. Aluko, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER)

This paper using desk research, argues that discrimination and restrictions are symptoms of both inequality and structural violence that undermines women's security. Despite the constitutional provisions and commitments to regional and international human rights treaties and conventions, the rights of women and girls are grossly undermined and undervalued, which is overtly evident in the overall low Gender Development Index for the country, and exacerbated in high rate of physical and sexual harassment and assault, trafficking, marital rape, early/ forced marriage and various harmful traditional practices against women and the girl child. These practices have made development opportunities to continue to elude women. Worst still, the existing policy documents (e.g. the National Policy on Women) have failed to challenge the structure, which continues to reproduce gender inequality and the overall dis-empowerment of women. The paper concludes that the insertion of the human security perspective into policies is essential for abolishing these practices.