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An average of three to four women are killed every week in Nigeria, with the motive behind these killings largely gender-based, an advocacy group, Document Our History (DOHS Cares) reveals.
In a statement released on Monday, the group’s convener, Ololade Ajayi, and a researcher, Chisom Daniel, called for immediate measures to address the growing epidemic of femicide in the country.
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According to the group, 88 Nigerian women have been killed between January and June 2025 — an average of one woman every 49 hours.
Femicide is the killing of women or girls particularly by men on account of their gender. It is the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls, according to the UN Women.
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“These are not just numbers. These are grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sisters, partners, and friends who are businesswomen, bankers, nurses, housewives, stylists, models, nutritionists, politicians, realtors, students,” the statement reads.
“Women and girls with full lives, now lost to gender-based violence and femicide, a crime that continues to ravage homes, communities, and our national conscience with little to no accountability.”
Ms Ajayi said every week, women are “violently erased,” from the Nigerian society adding that a decisive action must be taken to stem its tide.
She described femicide as the ultimate form of gender-based violence, noting that despite constitutional protections, established laws such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP), and widespread public outcry following high-profile cases, the culture of impunity persists.
“Victims are often blamed. Perpetrators walk free and survivors are silenced,” she said.
Demands
The rights group is demanding that the proposed Femicide Bill it drafted be immediately considered by the House of Assembly.
In August 2024, the civil rights group marched to the Lagos State Assembly to present a draft bill for consideration to criminalise the deliberate killings of women.
They call on law enforcement agencies to prioritise and publicly track femicide cases as a distinct crime.
The group demanded that law enforcement agencies and the judiciary swiftly investigate and prosecute perpetrators.
They also call on government and religious leaders to establish femicide registers and speak out against harmful social norms that devalue women’s lives.
In March the group launched the #NoDeyKpaiWoman campaign to create awareness and take action against rising incidences of femicide.
The campaign, according to Ms Ajayi is about presenting evidence-based data in femicide cases in Nigeria, awareness creation and also to advocate for policy reformation and legislation on femicide.
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