African traditional leaders move to tackle gender-based violence

Traditional rulers from across Africa converged in Lagos on Monday, pledging to use their cultural authority to confront gender-based violence (GBV). The Conference of African Traditional and Cultural Leaders on GBV Prevention, convened by the Ford Foundation and UN Women in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, opened against the backdrop of rising concern […]

Traditional rulers from across Africa converged in Lagos on Monday, pledging to use their cultural authority to confront gender-based violence (GBV).

The Conference of African Traditional and Cultural Leaders on GBV Prevention, convened by the Ford Foundation and UN Women in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, opened against the backdrop of rising concern over domestic abuse, child marriage and other harmful practices often shielded by silence and social norms.

The meeting brought together eminent figures, including the Ooni of Ife, the Emir of Fika, the Emir of Shonga, traditional leaders from Southern and East Africa, senior government officials and development partners.

Participants agreed that lasting solutions to GBV must be rooted in communities and led by institutions people trust.

Speaking on behalf of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said gender-based violence continued to undermine families and development, stressing that silence was no longer an option.

He noted that Africa’s future depended on communities that protect rather than harm women and girls.

Ford Foundation President,Heather Gerken, said traditional and faith leaders were critical to dismantling harmful norms, describing culture as a powerful tool that could either perpetuate abuse or accelerate change.

Similarly, UN Women officials argued that GBV was not merely a criminal issue but a symptom of deeper inequality embedded in social systems.

UN Women’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Maxime Houinato, described the gathering as a turning point, saying traditional leaders were “architects of social order” whose voices could redefine justice and dignity at the grassroots.