DOHS, Reps' Gender Unit move to strengthen VAPP Act with femicide provisions

Stakeholders meet at National Assembly

Efforts to address rising cases of gender-related killings in Nigeria gained momentum on Monday as the DOHS Cares Foundation, in collaboration with the Gender Technical Unit (GTU) of the House of Representatives, convened a stakeholders' engagement at the National Assembly to advance legislative action on femicide.

The engagement was held at the GTU Office, National Assembly Complex, Abuja. It brought together 26 representatives of women's rights organisations, government agencies and civil society groups to review findings from the DOHS 2025 Femicide in Nigeria Report and discuss how femicide provisions could be integrated into the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition), VAPP, Act.

Representatives at the meeting stressed the need for stronger legal protections, improved survivor support systems and coordinated action to curb the growing incidence of femicide in Nigeria. According to the organisers, data from the DOHS Cares Foundation indicates that a case of femicide occurs in Nigeria every 49 hours.

Organisations and officials in attendance

Participants included representatives of TechHerNG, Girls Education Access, JUWACI, Yargote Foundation, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, African Women Lawyers Association, AWLA, Fame Foundation, CEE-Hope Shelter, Tabitha Empowerment Foundation and Regy & Henry Amazing Grace Foundation.

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs was represented by Princess Dr Jumai Idonije on behalf of the Minister. Clerks of the House of Representatives who attended included Mrs Salamatou M. Amman, Clerk, SDGs; Mr Ahmad A., Assistant Clerk; Mrs Uwaifoh Becky; Mr Yusuf M. Marafa; Mrs Hamma Yahaya; and Mrs Esther Whyte, Assistant Clerk, Women Affairs.

During the discussions, stakeholders raised concerns about under-reporting, family concealment of domestic violence cases and the wider structural issues driving gender-based violence. They also pointed to the need for broader consultation as legislative work progresses.

Calls for legal reform and wider collaboration

Representing Heinrich Böll Foundation, Dorothy Njemanze commended the initiative by DOHS Cares Foundation and called for stronger measures to discourage families from concealing cases of domestic violence. She also advocated sustained community sensitisation to encourage early reporting and intervention.

A representative of the Yargote Foundation emphasised the importance of engaging men as allies in the fight against gender-based violence and called for early interventions aimed at dismantling toxic masculinity.

Princess Dr Jumai Idonije, representing the Minister of Women Affairs, said the Ministry's Gender-Based Violence dashboard reflected similar trends highlighted in the DOHS report. She advised that provisions contained in the proposed DOHS draft legislation be incorporated into the ongoing review of the VAPP Act and recommended wider consultations with the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Also speaking, Ms. Sola Folayan of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy called for greater synergy among stakeholders and advocated post-legislative scrutiny to ensure that enacted laws produce measurable results. Ajuma Drisu of TechHerNG drew attention to technology-facilitated gender-based violence, describing it as a growing precursor to femicide that should also be addressed within the legal framework.

Survivor support and personal testimony

On survivor support, Executive Director of CEE-Hope Shelter, Ms. Betty Abah, stressed the need for expanded protection services, noting that Nigeria currently has only 22 functional shelters for survivors compared to about 300 in Canada, despite Canada's smaller population.

Founder of DOHS Cares Foundation, Ololade Ajayi, announced plans to establish a safe haven for families of femicide victims and survivors to aid trauma recovery and healing.

The engagement also featured an emotional testimony by Monica Agbane, a family member of a victim, who recounted the killing of Deborah Okwori by her ex-boyfriend, Lintex Ogale. She appealed to lawmakers to enact legislation that would help prevent similar tragedies.

Next steps after the engagement

At the end of the meeting, the clerks of the House of Representatives pledged to brief members of the House on the outcome of the engagement and provide necessary feedback.

As part of the agreed next steps, the Gender Technical Unit and DOHS Cares Foundation said they would circulate a concept note and establish a technical working group involving all relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Justice, to facilitate the integration of femicide provisions into the VAPP Act.

The organisers described the engagement as a significant milestone in the campaign to strengthen Nigeria's legal framework against gender-related killings and improve protection for women and girls.