DOHS Cares Foundation, in collaboration with the Gender Technical Unit (GTU) of the House of Representatives, today convened a Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Development of a Femicide Bill in Nigeria at the GTU office, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
The engagement brought together 26 representatives from women’s rights organisations, government, and civil society to review findings from the DOHS 2025 Femicide in Nigeria Report and advance legislative action to prevent gender-related killings of women and girls.
Participants included representatives from 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 its Minister’s representative, Princess Dr Jumai Idonije.
Clerks of the House of Representatives were also in attendance, including 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).
Dorothy Njemanze, who represented Heinrich Böll Foundation at the event, commended DOHS Cares Foundation and called for measures to stop families from covering up domestic violence cases, alongside deeper community awareness.
Yargote Foundation’s representative emphasised building allyship with men and intervening early to dismantle toxic masculinity.
Princess Dr Jumai Idonije, representing the Minister of Women Affairs, noted that the Ministry’s GBV dashboard reflects similar trends and advised that provisions of the DOHS draft bill be included in the ongoing VAPP Act review, in consultation with the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Ms Sola Folayan of Westminster Foundation for Democracy called for synergy and post-legislative scrutiny to ensure laws deliver results, while Ajuma Drisu of TechHerNG flagged technology-facilitated GBV as a precursor to femicide that must also be addressed.
Ms Betty Abah, Executive Director of CEE-Hope Shelter, stressed the need for concrete survivor support, citing only 22 functional shelters in Nigeria compared to 300 in Canada, a country with a smaller population.
Ololade Ajayi, founder of DOHS Cares Foundation, announced plans for a haven where families of femicide victims and survivors can heal from trauma. Monica Agbane, a victim’s family member, shared testimony on the killing of Deborah Okwori by her ex-boyfriend, Lintex Ogale, and pleaded for legislation to prevent similar cases.
The Clerks are committed to briefing Honourable Members and providing feedback. GTU and DOHS Cares Foundation will circulate a concept note and convene a technical working group with all stakeholders, including the Ministry of Justice, to push for the integration of femicide provisions into the VAPP Act.
This engagement marks a significant step toward ending femicide in Nigeria, where, according to DOHS Cares Foundation data, a femicide occurs every 49 hours.
