Protect Disabled Women from Gender-Based Violence

Women and girls with disabilities in Northern Nigeria are living at the intersection of crisis. Ongoing conflict, widespread poverty, and persistent cultural norms combine to put them at a sharply elevated risk of gender-based violence (GBV), child marriage, and exploitation. According to the World Health Organization, 30% of women globally experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime—and in Nigeria, multiple studies have found that women with disabilities are twice as likely to be affected. A recent report revealed that 53% of women with disabilities in Nigeria have experienced GBV 

Guma LGA in Benue State exemplifies these challenges. Here, conflict and displacement have eroded social safety nets, leaving disabled women and girls isolated and often invisible to local authorities and support systems. Child marriage rates remain stubbornly high, with 33% of girls in Nigeria marrying before the age of 18 (UNICEF, 2023), and the prevalence is even greater among the poorest and most marginalized communities.

This project is a lifeline for 50 women and girls with disabilities in Guma. Through rights education, legal support, community advocacy, and direct survivor assistance, we are breaking the silence and restoring hope. We provide safe spaces, psychosocial care, and access to health and legal services—empowering survivors to reclaim their dignity and rebuild their lives.

Your support will not only change individual lives but will also plant the seeds of lasting change in the community.