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Author: Elizabeth Aboh

GATEKEEPERS OF SAFETY: The Role of Traditional Leaders in Protecting Women from Violence.

Whether acknowledged or not, traditional leadership in Nigeria, seats at the center of response. In many communities, influence does not sit in formal institutions alone, it begins in palaces, council gatherings, and quiet conversations with those who hold cultural authority, it sits with traditional leaders, Obas, chiefs, and council elders that are not just custodians […]

“Keep Quiet” vs “We Will Help You”: The Words That Shape Women’s Safety.

In moments of crisis, the first response a woman receives can shape everything that follows. For many women experiencing violence, that response comes not from formal institutions, but from people within their community, family members, neighbors, or trusted elders. The words used in these moments carry weight. “Don’t expose the family.”“Manage it quietly.”“These things happen […]

WHEN SILENCE PROTECTS VIOLENCE: Lessons from Church Dialogues on Gender and Faith

In many Nigerian communities, gender-based violence does not begin with a slap. It begins with silence. It begins with the advice women receive when they are hurting: “Just pray about it.” “Keep quiet for the family.” “You are not the only one going through it.” These phrases are spoken with good intentions, but they prolong […]

BEYOND PRAYERS : Turning Faith into Protection for Women

Conversations about gender-based violence often end where they should begin, with reflection, agreement, and a shared sense that something must change. But dialogue, on its own, is not the goal. Its true value lies in what follows, in whether it disrupts привычные patterns and leads to decisions that make people safer in real, practical ways. […]

Men’s Involvement in Addressing Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence is too often treated as a “women’s issue,” discussed in spaces where women carry both the burden of experience and the responsibility for solutions. But violence does not exist in isolation, and it is not sustained by women. It is shaped, enabled, and too often protected by the silence, indifference, or complicity of […]

The Collision Between Spiritual Advice and Women’s Safety

Religious communities are often the first place people turn in moments of domestic crisis. They offer comfort, guidance, and a sense of belonging. Yet for many women experiencing violence, the counsel they receive can unintentionally deepen their vulnerability rather than protect them. When women speak up about abuse, the responses they encounter are frequently framed […]