UN Warns Nigeria on Violations of Women's Rights

The United Nations expert group has issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding the violation of women's and girls' rights in Nigeria, particularly among Christian minorities. The report, released from Geneva, details credible accounts of killings, abductions, sexual violence, and forced marriages, which are viewed as enforced disappearances.

The experts, including Reem Alsalem, Morri Tidbal Binz, Nicola Levrat, and Alic Jill Edward, noted that the security situation in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt remains dire, with armed extremist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continuing to operate. Specific incidents highlighted include the abduction of Christian women, the forced marriage of a 13-year-old girl in Bauchi State, and a brutal attack on a 16-year-old Christian girl in Borno State.

The report emphasizes the widespread violence and discrimination faced by Christian women and girls, exacerbated by local interpretations of Sharia law and a lack of effective justice.