Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the killing of Uwavera Omozuwa, in a church in Benin City, Nigeria; and how UK Aid to Nigeria is used to combat gender-based violence in that country.

The High Commission in Abuja is tracking closely developments around the deplorable killing of Uwavera Omozuwa last month in a church in Benin City. The High Commissioner has spoken out against her killing and all gender-based violence (GBV), calling for those responsible to face justice.

GBV is an endemic issue in Nigeria and poses ongoing challenges to changing behaviour and ensuring equality and equity for women, girls, men, and boys. DFID Nigeria is committed to empowering women and protecting the most vulnerable. We directly support systems and interventions to mitigate and respond to GBV in the conflict-affected North East through provision of emergency medical care and in the case-management, legal counselling and psycho-social support for survivors of GBV through our humanitarian programme.

Across DFID Nigeria, we pursue DFID’s Strategic Vision for Women and Girls. We promote women’s rights and gender equality through multiple sectors: increasing women’s economic empowerment through dedicated livelihoods programmes; ensuring gender sensitivity of government social protection programmes; supporting women’s participation and representation in politics and civil society through governance programmes; and keeping girls safe in schools through our education programmes.