Amnesty International: Women, girls in Nigeria’s conflict zones marginalised

Amnesty International (AI) has raised concerns over the marginalisation of women and girls in areas affected by conflict in Nigeria.

Isa Sanusi, the organisation’s country director, spoke in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, on Thursday during the launch of a 144-page report on “girl survivors of the Boko Haram conflict in the north-east”.

“Girls recruited and used by Boko Haram have suffered crimes unique to their gender and age, including forced marriage, restrictions in movement, domestic violence, rape and other forms of sexual violence, forced pregnancy, and torture and other forms of ill-treatment,” Sanusi said.

“These crimes and other abuses must also be understood in the broader context of structural violence against women and girls in Nigeria.

“They are grounded in historical and pervasive gender inequality, discrimination against, and marginalisation of women and girls.

“Despite constitutional provisions providing for gender equality and discrimination, women and girls are treated subordinate to men and boys in practice and laws.”

Sanusi also referenced a 2018 study by the National Population Commission (NPC), which he said revealed alarming levels of violence against women.

“Almost one in three women between 15 and 49 years old experienced physical violence,” he said.

“For married women, this violence was commonly perpetrated by their husbands; for unmarried women, the violence was most often inflicted against them by their mothers or stepmothers.”

He revealed that Amnesty International has filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, alleging crimes against humanity in the region.