Head of Service Urges Religious Leaders, CSOs to Unite Against Gender-Based Violence

By our Reporter

The Federal Government has called for stronger collaboration between Faith-Based Organizations and Civil Society Groups to eradicate Gender-Based Violence (GBV) across the country.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, made the call in Abuja at a stakeholders’ dialogue organized by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, titled “Ways to Ending Gender-Based Violence.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office, Mrs. Deborah Odoh, Mrs. Walson-Jack urged religious communities to confront GBV head-on, noting that global statistics on violence against women reflect countless lives marked by pain, fear, and injustice.

She lamented the failure of religious institutions to protect their members, stating, “Too many women and girls, and indeed some men and boys, have suffered abuse within spaces that should have offered refuge and redemption. Too often, survivors are told to pray harder, endure for the sake of the family, or forgive and forget.”

The Head of Service further condemned the misuse of scripture to justify domination or excuse harm, stressing, “Gender-based violence is not a private matter; it is a public sin. It is not cultural but moral. It is not the will of God but a violation of His image in humanity.”

She called on Faith-Based Organizations to serve as safe sanctuaries by establishing confidential reporting systems, training counsellors and ushers to recognize signs of abuse, and designating discrete “safe pews” to connect survivors with support services.

“No leader is above accountability. Protecting the church’s image at the expense of justice only deepens the wound. Transparency, oversight, and clear disciplinary processes are vital,” she added.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Anglican Compassion and Development Initiative (ACADI), Mrs. Abiodun Ipinmoye, called for proactive measures to end GBV, urging the church to break the culture of silence.

“We insist that perpetrators must not go unpunished, and survivors must be heard. When people claim there is no gender-based violence in the Church, we disagree because the same people who commit these acts in society are also part of the Church,” she stated.

The Regional Director of the Ford Foundation for West Africa, Dr. Chichi Aniagolu, linked the fight against GBV to broader issues of social and economic justice, noting that gender-based violence undermines women’s dignity and limits their participation in political, social, and economic life.

Chairman of ACADI, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, emphasized the importance of engaging youths in the campaign against GBV.

The dialogue concluded with a joint commitment from all stakeholders to translate discussions into concrete action, ensuring that churches truly become sanctuaries of safety, dignity, and love for all.