Women’s Advocacy Group Urges Nigerian Men to Become Partners in Fighting Gender Violence

A women’s advocacy organization known as the Male Feminist Network (MFN) has called on Nigerian men to move beyond being mere spectators or “oppressors” and actively support the fight for gender justice and the elimination of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) across the nation.

Dependable NG reports that the Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Cross River States Coordinator of MFN, Peace Edem, made this call on Friday during a press briefing in Uyo. The event was facilitated by the Youth for Change Initiative with support from the Value Rebirth Empowerment Initiative and the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (CentreLSD).

Edem stressed that given the worrying rate of gender discrimination and the spike in GBV cases, nationally and globally, the true alliance of men is the only way to stem the tide and usher in a society free from fear, bias, and gender inequality. He lamented Nigeria’s ranking of 130th out of 146 countries on the Global Gender Gap Report, 2023, as well as the high maternal mortality rate.

He stated that the MFN was created to redefine masculinity and inspire men to become true allies in the struggle for gender equality, noting that “For far too long, gender equality has been seen as a ‘women’s issue. But gender justice is not a women’s fight, it is a human one.”

He passionately appealed to men, saying, “Every man has a woman he loves; a mother, a sister, a wife, a daughter, or a colleague. Yet, in our society, these same women face daily struggles of inequality, exclusion, and abuse. Through the Male Feminist Network, we are saying ‘enough is enough.’ We are calling on men to be protectors, not perpetrators; partners, not oppressors; voices of reason, not silence.”

The group plans to raise a new generation of male champions who will challenge harmful norms that fuel inequality and violence, helping men understand that empowering women does not threaten them but rather strengthens families, communities, and nations. Edem clarified that the MFN is not against tradition but against “traditional practices not mutually beneficial and equality enhancing,” listing early child marriage, female genital mutilation, body shaming, and harmful widowhood practices as examples of what the Network intends to challenge.

In a related statement, the President of the Male Advocate Unit of the GBV Management Committee in Akwa Ibom, Anietie Bassey (Esq), pointed out the critical role of the media in shaping a positive narrative for gender equality. Meanwhile, Usoro Peter, the Senior program officer for the Abundant Word of Faith Foundation, thanked the project initiators and called for concerted efforts to stamp out all traces of GBV and discrimination in the church, families, and communities. He concluded that the foundation would be intentional in leading advocacy, mentorship, and community engagement to support policies that ensure women and girls “live in dignity and equality.”