Esther Eghobamien-Mshelia, an advocate for gender equality and women’s rights, currently serves as the vice-chair of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In this interview with ENE OSHABA, she shares insights into how to combat gender-based violence (GBV) through economic empowerment, policy reform, and Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) as the 16 Days of Activism concluded.
What motivated your focus on the economic and social impacts of gender-based violence (GBV)?
My motivation stems from a recognition that GBV is not just a humanitarian issue but also an economic and systemic one. The consequences of GBV are multifaceted including lost productivity, increased healthcare and judicial costs, and the disruption of family and community life. My experiences, such as participating in inquiries into domestic violence within law enforcement, have revealed the deep, systemic nature of GBV, and this is why I strongly advocate for policy reforms that address its broader implications with emphasises that addressing GBV is critical not only for the protection of individuals but also for the economic and social well-being of nations particularly Nigeria.
GBV imposes significant economic costs on society, including health care expenditures, lost productivity, and disruptions in community life. Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) can serve as a critical tool to mitigate these costs by ensuring that public spending directly addresses the root causes and consequences of GBV. For instance, GRB can allocate funds to support shelters, counseling services, and legal aid for survivors, while also investing in preventive measures like public education campaigns. Policymakers in Nigeria must integrate the economic implications of GBV into budgetary decisions, ensuring that interventions are both impactful and measurable. By doing so, they can create a framework that aligns social priorities with economic objectives, ultimately fostering a more equitable society.
Could you share specific examples from your work that illustrate the systemic barriers women face in addressing GBV?
There’s this tragic case I encountered during an inquiry: a police officer’s husband killed their three children in an act of domestic violence, weaponising the family dynamics to inflict maximum psychological harm. This case underscores the systemic failures in recognising and addressing GBV within institutional frameworks. There is also the lack of proper data collection systems, such as categorising domestic violence as minor offenses and the omission of rape from legal databases in some jurisdictions. These examples illustrate the structural inequalities and oversight failures that perpetuate GBV.
How does economic empowerment intersect with efforts to reduce GBV?
Economic empowerment is a cornerstone of resilience against GBV. Economic independence reduces women’s vulnerability by mitigating financial dependence, a common trigger for violence. For instance, integrating care work into formal economies and expanding access to procurement opportunities can bolster women’s financial autonomy.
There’s the need for inclusive policies to address systemic barriers, like women accessing less than one per cent of global procurement opportunities, despite their competence. Economic empowerment not only addresses immediate vulnerabilities but also fosters long-term societal transformation.
To evaluate the effectiveness of budget allocations in addressing GBV, Nigerian policymakers need to adopt a multi-step approach. This includes conducting gender impact assessments to measure the outcomes of current spending and creating feedback mechanisms to adjust policies based on real-world data. Practical steps include setting aside specific funds for GBV-related programs and establishing accountability systems to track spending outcomes. Learning from countries like Kenya, where investments in gender equality have yielded measurable economic benefits, Nigerian leaders can prioritize sectors like education and healthcare to directly address disparities and reduce GBV.
Why do you advocate for integrating care work into the formal economy, and how can this reduce GBV?
Care work, often unpaid and undervalued, is a critical yet invisible pillar of the economy and its recognition and monetisation could alleviate the economic pressures that exacerbate household tensions, often leading to GBV. For example, globally, care work is valued at $10 trillion annually but remains excluded from macroeconomic frameworks. By formally acknowledging and supporting this labor, governments can reduce the systemic economic inequalities that fuel GBV, while simultaneously empowering caregivers – primarily women.
Unpaid care work, predominantly carried out by women, constitutes a hidden economic burden that exacerbates gender inequality and contributes to GBV. Institutionalising care work in Nigeria’s fiscal policies involves recognising its economic value and incorporating it into national accounts. This can be achieved by investing in public childcare services, providing tax credits for caregivers, and creating job opportunities in the care economy. Like I said, globally, care work is valued at $10 trillion annually, yet it remains excluded from formal economic frameworks. By acknowledging this labor, Nigeria can alleviate economic pressures on women and reduce tensions that often lead to violence, creating a more inclusive economy.
What are your views on cyber-facilitated violence, and how can societies address this emerging threat?
Cyber-facilitated violence is a growing and dangerous form of GBV, with online platforms increasingly used for trafficking, deception, and exploitation women who are lured by promises of education or employment often find themselves trapped in abusive conditions. To combat this, a robust regulatory framework, digital literacy programmes, and partnerships with tech companies to monitor and prevent cyber violence is necessary. Societies must remain vigilant and proactive, ensuring that technological advancements do not become tools of oppression.
Cyber-facilitated violence is an evolving threat that demands urgent attention. Gender budgeting can help address this by funding initiatives such as digital literacy programs, online safety campaigns, and technological solutions to monitor and prevent abuse. For instance, collaborations with tech companies to identify and block exploitative content could protect vulnerable individuals. Moreover, including cybersecurity measures in GRB frameworks ensures that resources are allocated to combat this growing issue, safeguarding women and girls in digital spaces.
How does Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) contribute to addressing GBV and promoting gender equality?
GRB aligns social policies with economic objectives, creating a framework to evaluate the impact of public spending on men and women. Let me emphasise that GRB is not about separate budgets for women but about ensuring that all budgetary decisions reflect gendered realities. For example, integrating care work into formal economies and ensuring access to education for girls can directly address the root causes of GBV. GRB also promotes accountability and transparency, demanding measurable goals and inclusive decision-making to create lasting change.
What challenges have you observed in implementing GRB, and what solutions do you propose?
Several challenges, including cultural misinterpretations of violence, lack of gender-disaggregated data, and lip service in policy implementation have been slowing the implementation. For example, despite laws like the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, insufficient funding and staffing hinder effective enforcement.
While laws like the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act represent significant progress, their impact is often undermined by insufficient funding and enforcement. Advocates and policymakers must work together to ensure that GRB prioritizes these laws in national budgets. This involves lobbying for increased allocations to GBV-related programs, establishing monitoring bodies to track implementation, and engaging communities to create demand for accountability. Advocacy should also emphasize the economic benefits of addressing GBV, framing it as a collective issue rather than solely a woman’s concern.
Effective GRB requires robust gender-disaggregated data to identify gaps and track progress. In Nigeria, the absence of comprehensive data limits the ability to design targeted interventions. Strategies to address this include establishing standardised data collection systems across sectors, training government officials on gender-sensitive data practices, and collaborating with research institutions for in-depth studies. For example, categorising domestic violence incidents more accurately and including rape cases in legal databases would provide a clearer picture of GBV’s prevalence, enabling policymakers to allocate resources more effectively and create tailored solutions.
To address this, advocacy for tangible commitments, intersectional approaches to address disparities, and community-centered strategies that highlight the collective benefits of gender equality should be in place. Continuous education and capacity building are also essential to equip stakeholders for effective policy engagement.
Could you elaborate on the connection between gender equality investments and economic growth, as you illustrated with Kenya’s tea industry?
The case of Kenya, where investments in girls’ education significantly boosted productivity in the tea industry has been highly commended. Educated girls were more efficient in tea harvesting, leading to increased exports and national income. This success prompted policy changes to ensure girls attend school until secondary level. Similar strategies can be adopted in other countries, such as Nigeria, where reducing insecurity for women farmers could increase cash crop production and contribute to economic growth.
How do you ensure that your advocacy emphasises collective benefits rather than focusing solely on women?
I always advocate for a win-win narrative, demonstrating how gender equality benefits all members of society. For instance, recognising care work and integrating it into the formal economy would reduce economic burdens on families while fostering social stability. There are examples where community-focused interventions, like improving access to education or addressing insecurity, create shared economic and social gains, fostering broader acceptance of gender equality initiatives.
In your experience, what role does community engagement play in addressing GBV and promoting GRB?
Community engagement is pivotal in quantifying the costs of GBV and creating accountability. The importance of mobilising local actors to demonstrate the tangible impacts of gender inequality on economic activities like farming and market trading cannot be over-emphasised. By involving communities in data collection and advocacy, stakeholders can highlight the systemic barriers women face and push for inclusive policies. This grassroots approach ensures that interventions are relevant, sustainable, and widely supported.
