The Inclusive Futures Initiative (IFI), a non-governmental organisation, has called for greater use of technology to address rights violations against women and children in Nigeria, recommending digital tools to monitor abuses, strengthen law enforcement and connect victims with support services.
The call was made by the organisation’s Executive Director, Lucy Okonkwo, during the presentation of a report titled Mapping the Women and Children’s Rights Ecosystem in Nigeria at an event in Abuja.
Okonkwo said civic technology, data-driven advocacy and community participation could help close gaps in the protection of vulnerable groups and improve responses to reported cases of abuse.
The report identified child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), child labour, gender-based violence and digital exploitation as major challenges affecting women and children across the country.
It noted that although Nigeria has enacted laws and civil society organisations continue to support victims, inconsistent legal frameworks and weak implementation remain significant obstacles to effective protection.
According to the report, the Child’s Rights Act 2003 and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 provide legal safeguards, but differences in implementation across states, alongside entrenched sociocultural practices, continue to limit their effectiveness.
The document estimated that 20 million women and girls in Nigeria had undergone FGM, while 24.6 million children aged between five and 17 were engaged in child labour. It also estimated that 24 million girls and women had been married before the age of 18.
The report further warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence and social media had introduced additional threats, including digital exploitation and image-based sexual abuse.
To address these concerns, IFI recommended establishing an integrated data system connecting the National Human Rights Commission, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, sexual assault referral centres, state ministries and civil society organisations.
The proposed system, the report said, should include adequate privacy protections while helping authorities track reported violations, identify areas with high rates of abuse and direct resources to communities with the greatest needs.
It also advocated mobile and web-based platforms through which victims and members of the public could report abuses, access legal assistance and securely document incidents.
Additionally, the organisation called for community-based data collection involving teachers, healthcare workers and local leaders, supported by secure digital applications to improve the identification and reporting of violations.
An IFI board member, Adenike Aloba, said the organisation’s research and publications were designed to demonstrate the connections between rights violations, public policies, investments and interventions.
She said the initiative sought to provide stronger evidence to support informed decision-making and encourage collaboration among stakeholders working to protect women and children.
Meanwhile, Luminate Group Chief Executive Officer Melanie Hui reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working with groups addressing digital rights violations across different regions.
Luminate Regional Director Toyin Akinniyi also called for stronger institutions, adequate funding and coordinated interventions to ensure that existing laws and policies translated into meaningful protection for women and children.
The report emphasised that combining technology with stronger institutions, community engagement and effective enforcement could improve Nigeria’s response to rights abuses and strengthen access to justice for victims.
