FG to open safe spaces in all 774 LGAs to boost GBV survivor support
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, will establish dedicated safe spaces in every one of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas to improve protection and support for gender‑based violence survivors.
Minister Imaan Sulaiman‑Ibrahim disclosed the plan on Wednesday in Abuja after signing an MoU with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, in partnership with the New Era Foundation.
The initiative forms part of the National Action Plan on GBV and will be complemented by regional mega‑protection centres offering medical, legal, psychosocial and rehabilitation services under one roof, plus mobile Women on Wheels teams to reach underserved communities.
The move comes amid rising GBV: 2,755 cases were documented between January and April 2026—about 23 reports daily—with only four percent resulting in successful prosecution.
Women and girls made up over 81 percent of survivors, and sexual violence accounted for 82 percent of recorded cases.
Officials say the current low prosecution rate highlights the need for stronger protection and accountability mechanisms.
Will these decentralized safe spaces, mega‑centres and mobile units meaningfully improve access to care, justice and empowerment for survivors in your community?