By Our Reporter
Nearly 60 million women and girls in West and Central Africa were married before the age of 18, with Nigeria recording the highest numbers, according to UN Women Regional Director Maxime Houinato. He described the region as the global epicentre of child marriage and harmful practices that put millions of girls at risk.
Houinato made the remarks ahead of the Conference of African Traditional and Cultural Leaders on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) scheduled for February in Lagos.
He acknowledged progress in some areas, citing Kenya, where female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalence dropped to about 15% in 2022. In Nigeria, the National GBV Data Collation Tool was praised as a step toward standardised reporting.
“Violence against women and girls remains widespread, underreported, and a major obstacle to achieving Agenda 2063 and the SDGs,” Houinato said. He noted that over 40% of women in Sub-Saharan Africa have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, with consequences spanning generations, including illness, undernutrition, and death among children under five.
Houinato urged traditional and religious leaders to publicly denounce harmful practices such as child marriage, widowhood rites, and FGM, and to support enforceable community bylaws. He also called for survivor-centred justice, proper documentation of cases in customary systems, and stronger laws backed by adequate funding and community engagement.
“Culture is not a relic but a living promise to be renewed with each generation,” he said. “If we act with urgency and unity, a life free from violence can become every African woman’s and girl’s reality.”
NAN