WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH DEVELOPMENT: COMBATING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS IN NIGERIA: ANOVERVIEW

The present paper is a review on the position of women empowerment program in combating violence against women and girls (VAWGs) in Nigeria. Violence against women and girls or better still Gender Based Violence (GBV) is an umbrella term for any harmful act committed against women and girls will. The violence against women and girls refers to as gender-based due to the fact that it is socially ascribed as a result of gender differences arising from gender inequalities between male and female. VAWGs today are considered to be a serious development challenges, human right and health issue affecting the wellbeing of women and girls not only in Nigeria but also in developed countries. VAWGs denote to be an act of harmful discrimination against the weaker sex as a result of weak social norms and uneven power distribution. This paper is a review based on national demographic health survey 2013. However, development as defined to be an ability towards improving the wellbeing of the vast majority, women inclusive, women empowerment also entails the ability of allowing women to benefit from development process where women will be allowed access to healthcare and safety, education, human right and political participation. The present paper is an attempt to understand the guidelines, principles or approaches to development, women empowerment in Nigeria. VAWGs social and ecological model of analysis as well as prevention and response to VAWGs in Nigeria are also discussed in the paper. It is recommended that the development should integrate women empowerment in Nigeria to combat VAWGs