phd social work in nigeria

ACADEMIC CONTENT (Programme)

Existing Curriculum for the Programme/Sub-Discipline/Discipline

(a) Programme Title:

B.Sc Social Work

(b) Programme/Sub Discipline/Discipline Philosophy and Objectives:

Philosophy, Objectives, Vision, Mission of the Department

Philosophy:

The philosophy of the Department is the enhancement of professional capacity and competence of students of the Department through wide exposure to the concepts, theories and practice of social work.

This professional competence training will provide the enabling environment for working effectively in both the public and private sectors of the economy.

Objectives:

The general objective of the Department is to produce students with adequate knowledge and skills in generic social work practice.

Specifically, the objectives are;

• To produce students who can enter direct into social work practice in such public, voluntary and private agencies as general and specialist hospitals, family and child care services, the court and correctional institutions, schools, rehabilitation and care of the destitutes as well as other welfare services.
• To continue to assume leadership roles in rural and urban community development efforts.
• To strengthen and expand Post Graduate Programmes in Social Work.
• To consolidate and sustain responsible positions in the field of social work education and research.

To develop the knowledge and skills of individuals in both public and private sectors to help people cope with the social, economic and political problems of contemporary Nigerian society.

The mission of the Department involves primarily to successfully create the conditions and enabling environment for the realisation of a higher quality of social existence throughout the country. This will be achievement through providing adequate training to students, updating professional knowledge and skills of practitioners and community members to accomplish their life tasks, alleviate their distress and maintain normal functioning in the society. It also involves assisting people develop ability and capacity to map out a prominent planning machinery, develop concrete ways in which people can be brought more effectively into development programme, propose policies as they affect the masses of the people in the material and other conditions of existence.

Departmental Information:

The department of Social Work offers two kinds of programmes

• A 4-year B.Sc (Honours) Social Work and Community development Degree programmes by entrance examination
• A 3-year B.Sc Honours Social Work and Community Development Programme by Direct Entry.

(a) B.Sc Programme

The courses are organised in such a way that students can graduate with emphasis in Social Work and Community development. The programme is aimed at producing Generalist Social workers who can fit into any sector of the economy both within and outside Nigeria. Students are given the opportunity to take relevant courses in the two areas of emphasis.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES IN SOCIAL WORK

1.1       Introduction

Social problems are on the increase in Nigeria. Some of these social problems are new (Examples; Terrorism, Migration, Kidnapping, Displacement etc) and so ways of dealing with them are not readily known. Therefore there is an increasing need for human service personnel who can help tackle these problems and lessen the effect on the people. Consequently, there will be rise in the demand for social workers who will be in a position to work with people who are affected by these social problems. Expanded career opportunities in social work are envisaged in Nigeria as in other developing countries. Social workers have opportunities to positively influence the lives of citizen. Employment opportunities for graduates in social work exist in Community Organization, Human Services, Healthcare Facilities, Federal, States, Local Governments, NGOs, Academia and other Educational and Research Settings. Other employment opportunities include business, industry and professional organizations.

The Department offers postgraduate programmes leading to the award of Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) in Social Work, Master of Science (M.Sc) in Social Work and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Social Work.

1.2       Philosophy

The underlying philosophy the Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) programme, Master of Science (M.Sc), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme in Social Work at the University of Nigeria is to produce academics and practitioners equipped with appropriate knowledge, attitude, skills, and competencies to effectively address issues and challenges that come with social problems in Nigeria and globally. It is also a way of producing individuals who are well-grounded in social work concepts, theories, and the methodology needed to analyse and proffer solutions to social problems at the local and global levels; and whose contributions to knowledge and learning will help to fulfil the promise of Social Work practice in Africa and the rest of the world for progressively engendering better human society.

1.3       Objectives

In line with wider objectives of University of Nigeria and the current benchmark of the Nigeria Universities Commission, the Postgraduate (PG) programmes in Social Work are designed to produce academics and practitioners equipped with appropriate knowledge, attitude, skills, and competencies to effectively address issues and challenges that come with social problems in Nigeria and globally. The general objective of the Department is to produce students who can apply social work knowledge and theories in practice situation.

Specifically, the objectives of the postgraduate programmes in Social Work are:

• To produce graduate who are well grounded in theories and practice of Social Work
• To produce graduate with ability to expand the frontier of knowledge as they relate to Social Work.
• To produce graduates with the ability to apply knowledge in ameliorating the effect of social problems on individuals
• To produce students with adequate knowledge and skills not only in general social work practice but in specialized areas of practice
• GENERAL REGULATIONS

2.1      Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) Programme

(a)       Admission Requirements

The criteria for admission into the postgraduate-diploma programme are as follows.

• Candidate must satisfy the matriculation requirements of the University, including English Language.
• A minimum of third-class (Hons.) Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a related discipline awarded by an approved and accredited university.
• Higher National Diploma (HND) at the lower Credit level or equivalent professional qualifications cognate to Social Work from a recognized institution.
• Degree holders from other disciplines from recognised universities

(b)       Areas of Specialization

There is no area of specialization in postgraduate Diploma (PGD).

(c)        Duration of Programme

• Full–time PGD shall run between 2 (minimum) and 4 (maximum) semesters for the postgraduate diploma
• The part-time PGD shall run for a minimum of four (4) semesters and a maximum of six (6) semesters.

(d)       Requirements for Graduation

A Candidate must have fulfilled the following conditions to be awarded the Post Graduate    Diploma (PGD)

The candidate must pass a minimum of 36 credit units made up of the following:

• 30 units of core courses
• 6  units of project

(e)        Domiciliation of the Programme

The postgraduate diploma programme shall be domiciled in the Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

(f)        Students’ Enrolment

The Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) admission is not more than 40% of postgraduate enrolment of the Department in any academic session.

2.2       Master of Science (M.Sc.) Programme

The Department offers Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree programmes in Social Work.

• Areas of Specialization

Candidates can specialize in any area of specialization available in the department and where supervisors are available. They include:

• Social Gerontology
• Community Development
• Medical Social Work
• Social Policy/Industrial Social Work
• Social Work Administration
• Family Social Work
• Psychiatric Social Work
• Clinical Social Work
• School Social Work

2.2.2    Admission

(a) Admission Requirements

The criteria for admission into the M.Sc. programmes are as follows:

• Candidates must satisfy matriculation requirement of the University including mathematics and English language.
• Candidate must have a minimum of second class (lower division) Bachelor’s degree in social work from an approved university, or a postgraduate diploma with a CGPA of not lower than 3.5 on a 5-point scale, or its equivalent, from an accredited university.
• Candidates with a PGD at credit level pass (i.e. 3.5 on a 5point scale) or 60% on weighted percentage average.

(b) Duration of Programme

A full-time MSc programme of the Department runs for a minimum of four semesters and a    maximum of six semesters. The part-time programme runs for a minimum of six semesters and a maximum of eight semesters. For extension beyond the specified maximum period, special permission of the Board of School of Postgraduate Studies shall be required.

(c) Requirements for Graduation

The candidate must pass a minimum of 48 credit units made hours made up of the following:

• 12 units of elective courses
• 6 units of project (a student go through a proposal and if successful, carry out research in any area of specialization after which he/she must submit an acceptable project of 6 credit units)

(d) Domiciliation of the Programme

All Masters Programmes are domiciled in the Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

(f) Student Enrolment

Student enrolment into the M.Sc. programme of the Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka are determined by the carrying capacity of the department subject to availability of supervisors.

2.3       Doctor of Philosophy Programme

The Department offers Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree programmes in Social Work.

2.3.1   Areas of Specialization

The core areas in which candidates may specialize are:

• Gerontology
• Social Policy

2.3.2    Admission

            (a) Admission Requirements

The criteria for admission into the Ph.D. programme are as follows.

• Candidate must satisfy the matriculation requirements of the University, including English Language and Mathematics.
• Candidate must have a minimum of Master’s degree in social Work, depending of the specialization the candidate aspires to, from an approved university, with a CGPA of not lower than 3.5 on a 5-point scale, or equivalent, from an accredited university.
• Candidate must demonstrate adequate intellectual capacity, maturity and effective decision making and problem-solving potentials.
• Candidate must write a concept proposal of not less than five A-4 pages in his/her area of specialization.
• For Candidate to be eligible for Ph.D. admission, he or she must have scored nothing less than a ‘B’ in his/her dissertation.

A full-time Ph.D. programme of the Department runs for a minimum of six semesters and a   maximum of ten semesters.

A part-time Ph.D. programme of the Department runs for a minimum of eight semesters and a maximum of twelve semesters.

For extension beyond the specified maximum period, a special permission of the Board of Postgraduate Studies is required.

For a candidate to graduate, he/she must pass a minimum of forty-five credit units made of the following:

• 21 units of course work
• A candidate shall present at least one seminar, submit and defend a thesis proposal.
• 12 units from thesis.
• A candidate must attend a national or international conference, where he or she will present his/her work; and the candidate must publish his/her work in an Impact Factor (recognized by the University) journal to be eligible for graduation.
• A candidate must as part of the minimum credit units take the course PGC. 701 – Synopsis and Grant Writing, and attend a solution-based interactive workshop to be organized by the School of Postgraduate Studies for a practical demonstration and application of the knowledge acquired (from the course, PGC. 701).

All Doctoral Programmes are domiciled in the Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

(e) Student Enrolment

Student enrolment into the Ph.D. programme of the Department of Social Work, University    of Nigeria, Nsukka are subject to the carrying capacity of the Department.

• ACADEMIC STANDARDS

3.1.1 Academic Regulations

• Academic session

An academic session shall consist of two semesters. Each semester shall normally comprise of 15 weeks of teaching and two weeks of examinations

• Modular system

All Masters programmes run on a modularized system, commonly referred to as course unit system. All courses are sub-divided into more or less self- sufficient and logically consistent packages that are taught within a semester and examined at the end of that particular semester. Credit units are attached to each course.

• Definition of credit unit

Credit units are weights attached to a course. One credit unit is equivalent to one hour per week per semester of 15 weeks of lectures.

• Course nomenclature

All first semester courses shall end with odd numbers while second semester courses shall end with even numbers

• Stress Areas

Foundation Courses                                                                                                    0

Social problem, policy and legislation                                                                        1

Human behaviour and the social environment                                                            2

Social work intervention techniques and practice                                                      3

Field work and areas of practice                                                                                 4

Community development/organisation                                                                       5               

Research Project                                                                                                         6

• Programme Requirements

    Registration procedure

Students will complete registration for courses for the semester not than two weeks after the start of the semester. A student cannot withdraw from a course after five weeks of lectures in a given semester without permission from the Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies. A student who withdraws after this time or who fails to seek for permission from the Dean shall be deemed to have failed that course. A student who fails to sit for more than two courses at the end of a given semester shall be deemed to have withdrawn voluntarily from the programme.

• Good Standing

To be in good standing, a student must in each semester have a cumulative Grade point of Average (CGPA) of not less than 3.00.

3.2.4 Withdrawal

Candidates with less than 3.00 CGPA shall remain in the programme for the 1 st semester but shall be withdrawn if he/she fails to attain 3.00 CGPA at the end of the second semester.

In order to be eligible for examination in a particular course, a student shall have attended a minimum of 75% of the total periods of formal instructions delivered for the course.

• Course Evaluation

In the Masters Programmes, assessment of student’s achievements shall be based on:

• Course examination
• Term papers/seminars
• Other assignments
• Continuous Assessment

Continuous assessment shall be done through essays, tests, tutorial exercises, quizzes and homework.

• Scores from continuous assessment shall constitute 30% of the final marks for courses which are primarily theoretical and not filed work courses
• Examination, Grading Procedures & Results

(i) Examinations

• In addition to continuous assessment, final examination shall be given for every

Course at the end of every semester.

• The total scores obtainable for every course (except for field work practice) continuous assessment and final examination is 100%

Continuous assessment                    30%

Final examination                            70%

Total                                                100%

Each course shall normally be completed and examined at the end of the semester in which it is offered.

• Field practicum shall be the reverse

Continuous assessment (Field visit)            70%

Final examination                                       30%

Total                                                           100%

(ii) Pass Mark

The minimum mark in any course shall be 50%

• GRADING SYSTEM

Grading of courses shall be done by a combination of percentage marks and letter grades translated into a graduated system or grade point equivalents (GPE). For the purpose of determining a student’s standing at the end of every semester, the GPA system shall be used.  The GPA is computed by dividing the total number of credit points (TCP) by the total number of units (TNU) for all the courses taken in the semester. The credit point for a course is computed by multiplying the number of units for the course by the grade Point Equivalent of marks scored in the course. Each course shall be graded out of a maximum of 100 marks and assigned appropriate Grade point equivalent.

(c) External-Examiner System

An external examiner is invited at the end of the PGD, M.Sc and PhD programmes to assess the courses and projects. The external examiner is an academic in the relevant discipline that is not less than senior lecturer’s rank and who holds a Ph.D in the discipline.

The project shall be subject to oral examination where the student is required to show evidence that he/she carried out the work and had pertinent knowledge of the subject matter. A score is awarded at the end of the examination.

(d) Postgraduate Diploma Classification

The determination of the PGD class for candidates is based on the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) earned at the end of the programme.

Distinction ……………………………………………….. 4.50 – 5.00

Upper Credit …………………………………………….. 4.00 – 4.49

Lower Credit …………………………………………….. 3.50 – 3.99

Merit ……………………………………………………… 3.00 – 3.49

Fail ……………………………………………………….. 0.00 – 2.99

PhD Social Work programs in Nigeria

Deadline information, best universities with social work in nigeria.

Bachelor Social Work programs in Nigeria

Master Social Work programs in Nigeria

Most Popular Social Work programs in Nigeria

PhD Social Work programs in Nigeria

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School of Post Graduate Studies

Message from the dean.

I warmly welcome you to the School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

As the foremost and all-time provider of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) university education in Nigeria, we proudly offer academic freedom through a functional, adaptable, and cost-effective learning approach that bestows lifelong value upon all knowledge seekers within close reach. This approach ensures that access is not bound by geographical limitations or time constraints, allowing you to progress at your own pace anywhere on this planet.

Upon the revitalization of the University in 2003, NOUN introduced a range of postgraduate programmes as part of its comprehensive offerings. However, by April 6, 2009, the University Senate officially established the School of Postgraduate Studies, with Prof. Israel F. Adu as the pioneering Dean (6th April 2009 to 30th June 2016). The second and third Deans were Prof. Samaila Mande (1st July 2016 to 31st  August 2021) and Prof. Chinedu F, Mafiana (1st September 2021 to 31st August 2023) respectively.

The SPGS holds authority over all postgraduate programmes within the University on behalf of the Senate and the Vice Chancellor. It operates under the governance of a Board chaired by the Dean of the School and includes all Deans of Faculties and Directors of Academic Units as members. A Deputy Registrar serves as the Board’s Secretary as well as the Administrative Secretary of the School.

To effectively fulfill her mission and carry out the directives of the Senate, Vice Chancellor and the School Board, the School of Postgraduate Studies comprises five specialized units:

• Board Matters
• Admissions (Post Graduate Diplomas and Masters)
• Doctoral Matters
• Special Duties
• National Secretariat of the Committee of Provosts and Deans of Postgraduate Colleges and Schools (CPDPGCS)

Whether you are pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s, Doctoral degree, or a professional certificate, our university is renowned for its unwavering commitment to providing exceptionally high standards and quality programs to both local and international students. As an institution deeply dedicated to excellence, all our programmes are approved by the apex regulatory body, the National Universities Commission (NUC). This means that applicants, students, employers, parents, guardians, and professional organizations can be confident that our graduates and alumni have undergone the rigorous training expected of a world-class academic institution, equipping them with the skills necessary to compete effectively in the global job market.

NOUN offers postgraduate programs in all the eight faculties of the university, including the African Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL).

A notable feature of NOUN is that, except for Ph.D. programmes, you are guaranteed provisional admission on meeting the minimum academic requirements upon application. With a network of over 100 Study Centers across the country and robust learner support services, both students and prospective applicants can expect a high-quality educational experience and engaging learning opportunities.

Welcome to the family, thank you for considering NOUN for your postgraduate education journey.

Prof. Sonnie J. ONIYE,  F ZSN, F FSN, F SETPOM

Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies

To strive at achieving excellence in scholarship, research, consultancies, upgrading the professional skills/competencies of graduands and enhancing knowledge development underpinned by the principles of Open and Distance Learning.

To provide conducive environment for the pursuit of high quality postgraduate studies with the goal of generating and expanding new knowledge as well as enriching the quality of life and experiences of its students.

The School aims at providing highly specialized knowledge and skills development geared towards meeting high human resource needs of Nigeria in its match towards contributing to a globalized knowledge economy.

Admission Requirements

• To qualify for admission into any of the postgraduate programmes of the University, a candidate must meet, among others, all matriculation requirements of at least five (5) credit passes including English Language and Mathematics. Some programmes accept at least a pass in Mathematics.
• For Postgraduate Diploma Programmes, Candidates must possess either a minimum of pass Bachelors Degree in any discipline from a University recognised by the Senate of the NOUN OR a Higher National Diploma with a minimum of Lower Credit. For the Postgraduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting, the candidate must have been called to the Bar. Also for admission into the school of Business and Human Resource Management Postgraduate Diploma programmes,
• For Master degree programmes, candidates must possess either a Bachelors Degree with a minimum of second class lower in the relevant field of study from a University recongnised by the Senate of the NOUN. However, holders of lower classificationOR a Postgraduate Diploma in related field of study from a recongnised University.
• For the Doctor of Philosophy Degree prorammes, candidates must possess a masters degree in relevant field of study from a University recongised by the Senate of the NOUN with a minimum score average of not less than 60% or a cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.0 on a 5-point scale. Studying with us gives a rewarding experience as we give you all the support you need to succeed. You are welcome.

Admission Process

1. An applicant for postgraduate admission into NOUN is normally expected to have a minimum of a first degree ( second class lower) for masters or HND for PGD in a related field in addition to 5 O-Level credits including English Language and Mathematics. 2. Additional requirements might apply for some programmes and these can be viewed after selecting the Programme and entry level at the Faculty’s admission page. 3. To apply for a programme, select the Faculty, choose the programme so that the View Requirement button is enabled. Clicking this button will reveal the corresponding entry requirement and enable the Apply button on the pre-payment application page. 4. Fill in all the remaining details on the page before submitting. On successful submission of the pre-payment form, you are redirected to Remita to obtain an RRR invoice which should be used to effect payment for the application form. 5. An applicant who pays online using a payment card will automatically obtain the online form which must be filled before submission. 6. Applicants who pay through a bank branch must click on Continue after payment… and enter their Unique ID and RRR. They are also given the opportunity to change the Programme applied for. 7.Applicants who had paid using an RRR generated last semester or earlier must restart the application process upto the point when they are re-directed to remita. They should now use the newly generated UniqueID with the old RRR used for payment when they click Proceed after payment. 8. In all cases a successful payment will lead to the generation of an online application form which should be filled before submission online. The admission process is automated and the outcome is virtually instantaneous! 9. Please print your form and admission letter and bring them to your chosen Study Centre for verification by an Admin Officer.

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Social Work

Philosophy, objectives, vision, mission of the department.

Philosophy:

The philosophy of the Department is the enhancement of professional capacity and competence of students of the Department through wide exposure to the concepts, theories and practice of social work.

This professional competence training will provide the enabling environment for working effectively in both the public and private sectors of the economy.

Objectives:

The general objective of the Department is to produce students with adequate knowledge and skills in generic social work practice.

Specifically, the objectives are;

1. To produce students who can enter direct into social work practice in such public, voluntary and private agencies as general and specialist hospitals, family and child care services, the court and correctional institutions, schools, rehabilitation and care of the destitutes as well as other welfare services.

2. To continue to assume leadership roles in rural and urban community development efforts.

3. To strengthen and expand Post Graduate Programmes in Social Work.

4. To consolidate and sustain responsible positions in the field of social work education and research.

To develop the knowledge and skills of individuals in both public and private sectors to help people cope with the social, economic and political problems of contemporary Nigerian society.

The mission of the Department involves primarily to successfully create the conditions and enabling environment for the realisation of a higher quality of social existence throughout the country. This will be achievement through providing adequate training to students, updating professional knowledge and skills of practitioners and community members to accomplish their life tasks, alleviate their distress and maintain normal functioning in the society. It also involves assisting people develop ability and capacity to map out a prominent planning machinery, develop concrete ways in which people can be brought more effectively into development programme, propose policies as they affect the masses of the people in the material and other conditions of existence.

Departmental Information:

The department of Social Work offers two kinds of programmes

(a) A 4-year B.Sc (Honours) Social Work and Community development Degree programmes by entrance examination

(b) A 3-year B.Sc Honours Social Work and Community Development Programme by Direct Entry.

(a) B.Sc Programme

The courses are organised in such a way that students can graduate with emphasis in Social Work and Community development. The programme is aimed at producing Generalist Social workers who can fit into any sector of the economy both within and outside Nigeria. Students are given the opportunity to take relevant courses in the two areas of emphasis.

(b) Admission Requirements:

Admissions into the degree programme in the Department in by entrance examination conducted through JAMB. All candidates must satisfy the minimum entry requirements; ie five credits in senior secondary school examination/General Certificate of Education or its equivalent including English language, Mathematics, a science subject and two social sciences subject.

(c) Direct Entry by Diploma- Holders of the 2–year Undergraduate Diploma from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka or any other approved Universities are admitted to pursue a 3-year Programme for the award of B.Sc Degree in Social Work and Community Development.

(d) Programmes/Sub-Discipline/Discipline structure to include period of formal studies in the Universities, industrial training, planned visits and projects.

(e) Course content specifications/syllabus of all courses in the programme Discipline/Discipline:

(f) Attach a list of Titles of Degree project, if any carried out by the students in the programme/Sub-Discipline/Discipline in the last three years:

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Becoming a Social Worker in Nigeria: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction, a. importance of social workers in nigeria.

Social workers play a crucial role in Nigeria by addressing the needs of vulnerable populations and promoting social justice.

• Advocate for vulnerable populations.
• Provide mental health support.
• Address societal challenges and inequalities.

B. The Purpose of the Blog Post

This blog post aims to provide a step-by-step guide on becoming a social worker in Nigeria.

• Navigate steps to become a proficient social worker.
• Illuminate pathways for impactful community change.

Understanding the Role of a Social Worker

A. who is a social worker.

A social worker is a trained professional who helps individuals, families, and communities to enhance their well-being and quality of life.

B. The main responsibilities and functions of a social worker

• Assessing clients’ needs and developing individualized plans to address social issues.
• Providing counseling, support, and advocacy to individuals and families in crisis.
• Connecting clients to necessary resources and services, such as healthcare and housing.
• Assisting with navigating the legal system and accessing legal aid if required.
• Collaborating with other professionals and community organizations to develop intervention strategies.
• Educating and empowering clients to make informed decisions and improve their social functioning.

C. The different areas of specialization in social work

Social work offers various areas of specialization, allowing professionals to focus on specific client populations or issues.

These areas include:

• Child and Family Social Work: Supporting families and ensuring the welfare of children in need of protection.
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Providing mental health support and substance abuse treatment services.
• School Social Work: Assisting students, parents, and teachers to foster academic and social success.
• Medical and Healthcare Social Work: Offering support to individuals dealing with illness, injury, or chronic conditions.
• Community Development: Collaborating with communities to create and implement programs that address local social issues.
• Geriatric Social Work: Working with elderly individuals to meet their unique social and care needs.
• International Social Work: Providing aid and support to communities in developing countries or during humanitarian crises.

These specializations allow social workers to focus their skills and knowledge on specific areas, enabling them to make a greater impact and provide specialized assistance to those in need.

Basically, understanding the role of a social worker is essential as it helps individuals comprehend the responsibilities and functions involved in this profession.

Additionally, being aware of the various areas of specialization allows social workers to choose their career path and focus on the areas they are most passionate about.

Read: Regulations Impacting Family Therapy Practice in Nigeria

Education and Training

A. educational requirements for becoming a social worker in nigeria.

• To become a social worker in Nigeria, you need to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Social Work.
• Other related degrees such as Sociology or Psychology may also be considered.
• It is important to choose a recognized and accredited university to pursue your degree.
• Admission requirements usually include a minimum GPA and sometimes an entrance examination.

B. Importance of Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work

• A bachelor’s degree in social work provides a solid foundation in the knowledge, skills, and ethics necessary for the profession.
• It ensures that you have a comprehensive understanding of social issues and human behavior.
• Having this degree demonstrates your commitment to the field and enhances your credibility as a social worker.
• Employers often prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree as it reflects a higher level of expertise.

C. Option of Obtaining a Master’s Degree for Further Specialization

• After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, you may choose to pursue a master’s degree in Social Work for further specialization.
• This advanced degree provides more in-depth knowledge and skills in specialized areas of social work.
• A master’s degree opens up opportunities for advanced positions and higher salaries in the field.
• It also allows you to explore research and teaching roles within the social work profession.

D. Potential Scholarships or Grants Available for Aspiring Social Workers

• There are various scholarships and grants available specifically for students pursuing social work education in Nigeria.
• The Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and government agencies often offer financial assistance to deserving social work students.
• Non-profit organizations, foundations, and international scholarships can also provide funding opportunities.
• Researching and applying for these scholarships or grants can alleviate the financial burden of your education.

By completing the necessary educational requirements and obtaining relevant degrees, aspiring social workers in Nigeria can lay a strong foundation for their careers.

The bachelor’s degree in Social Work provides a comprehensive understanding of the profession, while a master’s degree offers further specialization and advanced opportunities.

Additionally, the availability of scholarships and grants eases the financial burden, making social work education more accessible.

So, if you are passionate about helping others and making a positive impact on society, pursuing a career in social work in Nigeria can be both fulfilling and rewarding.

Read: Nigeria’s Demand for Marriage & Family Therapists: A Study

Gaining Practical Experience

A. the significance of internships and field placements.

• Internships and field placements provide hands-on experience in social work.
• These opportunities allow aspiring social workers to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life situations.
• Internships and field placements offer the chance to develop essential skills like communication and problem-solving.
• By working directly with clients and communities, interns gain valuable insights into their needs and challenges.
• These practical experiences help social workers understand the realities of the profession and build empathy.

B. How to Find and Apply for Social Work Internships in Nigeria

• Research social work organizations, NGOs, and government agencies in Nigeria offering internships.
• Contact these organizations to inquire about available internship opportunities.
• Prepare a well-written resume and cover letter highlighting relevant skills and experiences.
• Submit the application documents along with any additional requirements requested by the organization.
• Follow up with the organizations to express continued interest in the internship.

C. The Benefits of Volunteering in Relevant Organizations

• Volunteering allows social work aspirants to contribute their skills and time for a good cause.
• It provides an opportunity to collaborate and network with experienced professionals in the field.
• Volunteering enables aspiring social workers to gain practical experience and learn from real-world scenarios.
• Working with relevant organizations exposes volunteers to a diverse range of social issues.
• Volunteering helps develop a strong work ethic, professionalism, and a sense of responsibility.

Engaging in internships, field placements, and volunteering offers crucial practical experiences that play a vital role in shaping the careers of aspiring social workers in Nigeria.

These opportunities allow individuals to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life situations, develop essential skills, and gain valuable insights into the needs and challenges of clients and communities.

To find social work internships, proper research, networking, and a well-crafted application are essential.

Similarly, volunteering in relevant organizations not only contributes to a good cause but also provides opportunities for collaboration, networking, and practical learning.

Overall, practical experience is a key stepping stone toward becoming a successful social worker in Nigeria.

Read: The History and Evolution of Social Work in Nigeria

Licensing and Certification

A. importance of obtaining a social work license in nigeria.

• Obtaining a social work license in Nigeria is crucial for professional recognition and credibility.
• It ensures that social workers adhere to a set of standards and ethical guidelines.
• A license also gives social workers the legal authority to practice their profession.
• Employers and clients can trust that licensed social workers have the necessary qualifications.

B. Necessary steps to obtain a social work license

• The first step is to obtain a bachelor’s degree in social work from a recognized institution.
• After completing the degree, aspiring social workers need to gain relevant work experience.
• They must then apply to the Nigerian Association of Social Workers (NASoW) for registration.
• Applicants will need to submit their educational qualifications, CV, and a completed application form.
• Once the application is approved, they can proceed to take the licensing examination.

Read:  The Path to Becoming a Surgeon in Nigeria

C. Importance of continuing education and professional development

• Continuing education and professional development are essential for social workers in Nigeria.
• They help social workers stay updated with the latest research, techniques, and best practices.
• Continuous learning allows social workers to enhance their skills and provide better services.
• Professional development also helps social workers meet the requirements for license renewal.
• It demonstrates a commitment to maintaining high professional standards and improving practice.

Read: Work-Life Balance Tips for Nigerian Counselors

Finding Job Opportunities

A. job market overview for social workers in nigeria.

The job market for social workers in Nigeria is dynamic and offers various opportunities for those seeking a career in social work.

Social work is a growing field in Nigeria, driven by the need for social services and welfare programs in the country. As a result, job prospects for social workers are expanding.

B. Potential employers for social workers in Nigeria

Government agencies, NGOs, and private organizations are potential employers for social workers in Nigeria.

The government, through various ministries and departments, often hires social workers to implement social policies and work with vulnerable populations.

NGOs and non-profit organizations also play a significant role in providing social services in Nigeria, creating employment opportunities in the sector.

Additionally, private organizations may hire social workers for employee assistance programs or community development initiatives.

C. Tips for searching and applying for job openings

• Utilize online job portals and websites dedicated to social work job listings in Nigeria.
• Join relevant professional associations and networks to access job postings and connect with potential employers.
• Regularly check local newspapers and community bulletin boards for job advertisements.
• Develop a well-written and tailored resume that highlights your relevant skills and experiences.
• Write a personalized cover letter for each application, emphasizing your passion for social work and how you fit the specific job requirements.
• Prepare for interviews by researching the organization and familiarizing yourself with social work practices in Nigeria.

D. Importance of networking and building professional connections

Networking plays a crucial role in finding job opportunities as a social worker in Nigeria.

Building professional connections can lead to job referrals, mentorship opportunities, and access to hidden job markets.

To enhance your networking efforts:

• Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars related to social work to meet professionals in the field.
• Join online forums, social media groups, and professional communities centered around social work in Nigeria.
• Reach out to alumni from your social work program or colleagues from internships for potential job leads.
• Volunteer or engage in community service activities where you can meet professionals in the social work sector.
• Develop strong relationships with your professors, supervisors, and other influential individuals in the field who can provide recommendations or job referrals.

In summary, the job market for social workers in Nigeria is expanding, offering opportunities in government agencies, NGOs, and private organizations.

By utilizing online resources, networking, and tailoring your application materials, you can increase your chances of finding a rewarding job in social work in Nigeria.

Read: Online Counseling in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges

Overcoming Challenges

A. common challenges faced by social workers in nigeria.

• Heavy workload and limited resources make it difficult to meet the needs of all clients. Social workers often face overwhelming case loads due to the high demand for services and inadequate resources. This makes it difficult to provide comprehensive support to all clients.
• Government bureaucracy and lack of support affect the efficient delivery of social services. Navigating through government bureaucracy is a common challenge for social workers in Nigeria. The lack of political will and support from authorities affects the efficient delivery of social services.
• Stigma and discrimination towards vulnerable populations hinder effective intervention. Vulnerable populations, such as individuals living with HIV/AIDS or people from marginalized communities, often face stigma and discrimination. Social workers must overcome these barriers to effectively intervene and provide assistance.
• Inadequate training and professional development opportunities limit career growth and effectiveness. Limited access to continuous training and professional development hinders the growth and effectiveness of social workers. It is crucial to have regular opportunities for learning and skill enhancement.
• High levels of poverty and inequality create overwhelming demands on social workers. Nigeria’s high poverty rate and income inequality contribute to the overwhelming demands on social workers. The persistent social and economic challenges in the country make it challenging to address the root causes of social issues.

Read:  Step-by-step Guide to Becoming a Nursing Assistant in Nigeria

B. Strategies to Overcome These Challenges

• Advocate for increased funding and resources to improve the quality of social services. Social workers can actively engage in advocacy efforts to secure more funding and resources. This will help improve the quality of social services and alleviate some of the challenges.
• Establish partnerships with local organizations and communities to leverage support networks. Collaborating with local organizations and communities is essential to leverage support networks, share resources, and enhance service delivery.
• Strengthen collaboration between government agencies and NGOs to streamline service delivery. Collaborative efforts between government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can streamline service delivery and enhance coordination. This can help address the barriers posed by bureaucracy.
• Develop innovative solutions, such as mobile outreach programs, to reach underserved populations. Social workers can explore creative solutions, such as mobile outreach programs, to reach underserved populations in remote areas. Embracing technology can also facilitate access to resources and services.
• Promote awareness and education campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination. Social workers can actively promote awareness and education campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination. By challenging societal norms and stereotypes, social workers can create a more inclusive environment.

C. Self-Care and Managing Burnout

• Practice self-care rituals such as meditation, exercise, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance can help social workers manage stress and prevent burnout.
• Seek supervision and support from colleagues or mentors to share concerns and manage stress. It is important for social workers to seek supervision and support from colleagues or mentors. Regular supervision sessions provide a safe space to share concerns, reflect on experiences, and gain guidance.
• Engage in reflective practices to gain insights into personal and professional growth. Reflective practices, such as journaling or group discussions, can help social workers gain insights into their personal and professional growth. This promotes self-awareness and improves their effectiveness in serving clients.
• Attend workshops and training sessions to enhance skills and stay updated with best practices. Actively participating in workshops, conferences, and training sessions allows social workers to enhance their skills, stay updated with best practices, and expand their professional network.
• Create a support system with colleagues and network with other social workers for peer support. Building a support system with colleagues and networking with other social workers can provide a sense of community and peer support.

Living amidst the diverse sociopolitical landscape of Nigeria, social workers encounter unique challenges in their profession. These challenges can be overcome with the right strategies and a commitment to self-care.

Sharing experiences and learning from others’ expertise can help combat burnout.

By acknowledging and addressing the common challenges, social workers in Nigeria can navigate through obstacles and make a meaningful impact in improving people’s lives.

The commitment to self-care and effective strategies will empower social workers to overcome these challenges and thrive in their profession.

Read: Importance of Culturally Sensitive Counseling in Nigeria

This blog post discussed the step-by-step guide to becoming a social worker in Nigeria.

It reinforced the importance of social workers in Nigeria and the positive impact they can make.

Lastly, aspiring social workers are encouraged to pursue their passion and create a difference in their communities.

A. Summarizing the Main Points

• Understand social work’s significance.
• Pursue relevant education and training.
• Gain practical experience through internships.
• Obtain necessary licensing or certification.
• Cultivate empathy, communication, and problem-solving skills.

B. Reinforcing the Importance of Social Workers

• Catalysts for societal progress.
• Bridge gaps in healthcare, social services.
• Advocates for marginalized voices.

C. Encouragement for Aspiring Social Workers

• Embrace your calling with passion.
• Create positive transformations.
• Impact lives in your community.
• Your journey starts here, make it count!

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Enhancing the relevance of social work education in Nigeria

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Solomon Amadasun, Mel Gray, Enhancing the relevance of social work education in Nigeria, The British Journal of Social Work , Volume 53, Issue 1, January 2023, Pages 534–551, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac144

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Quality locally relevant social work education is essential in social workers’ professional development and, in Nigeria, in the profession’s struggle for legitimacy and connection with local families and communities. It is also pivotal to efficient and effective service delivery in the contemporary digitally connected world, where myriad social issues warrant the professional intervention of skilled practitioners in diverse fields. Social workers’ responsiveness and effectiveness depend crucially on the quality and relevance of the education and training they receive at the start of and throughout their professional careers. This article examines social work education, its relatively recent origins and issues in contemporary Nigerian society highlighting the ongoing need for socio-cultural relevance in the interests of professional recognition. It proposes that social work educators and administrators have a crucial role to play in enhancing the profession’s relevance and suggests a way forward.

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1st Edition

Social Work, Social Welfare, and Social Development in Nigeria A Postcolonial Perspective

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Description

This groundbreaking book provides a comprehensive account of social work, social welfare, and social development in Nigeria from a postcolonial perspective. It examines the historical development of social work and social welfare and the colonial legacies affecting contemporary social welfare provision, development planning, social work practice, and social work education. Against this historical backdrop, it seeks to understand the position of social work within Nigeria’s minimalist structure of welfare provision and the reasons why social work struggles for legitimacy and recognition today. It covers contexts of social work practice, including child welfare, juvenile justice, disabilities, mental health, and ageing, as well as areas of development-related problems and humanitarian assistance as new areas of practice for social workers, including internally displaced and trafficked people, and their impact on women and children. It seeks to understand Nigeria’s ethnoreligious diversity and indigenous cultural heritage to inform culturally appropriate social work practice. This book offers a global audience insight into Nigeria’s developmental issues and problems and a local audience – social science and human service researchers, educators, practitioners, students, and policymakers - a glimpse of what’s possible when people work together toward a common goal. It will be of interest to all scholars and students of social work, development studies and social policy.

Table of Contents

Mel Gray (PhD) is Professor Emeritus (Social Work) at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. She has a longstanding interest in social work in Africa, having published widely on indigenisation and issues relating to cultural relevance, as well as social welfare and social development. This study of social work in Nigeria follows the first Routledge Handbook of Social Work and Social Development in Africa (2017), which she edited. Solomon Amadasun is a graduate of the University of Benin in Nigeria and a PhD student at Deakin University, Victoria, Australia. He has published widely on Nigerian social work education and practice, and related issues, including human trafficking, disabilities, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He previously published Social Work for Social Development in Africa (September Publishing House, 2020).

Critics' Reviews

...this book provides a comprehensive examination of Nigeria within the context of universalization, localization, and colonization perspectives, making it relevant to an international audience. While its focus is on Nigeria and Africa in a broader context, it resonates with experiences in Japan and Asia, and is likely to resonate with social workers worldwide.  Social Development Issues, 46(2) 2024 This book will, however, benefit a wide range of professionals in and outside Nigeria who are interested in social development, decolonisation, social work, social welfare, and the developmental challenges facing Nigeria and the rest of Africa. It broadens our perspective and invites us to examine the application of social work in an African context, providing a basis for comparisons with other countries.  Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 2024: 60(2)

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• Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) Programme

Entry Requirements

The criteria for admission into the postgraduate-diploma programmes are as follows.

• Candidate must satisfy the matriculation requirements of the University, including English Language.
• A minimum of third-class (Hons.) Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a related discipline awarded by an approved and accredited university.
• Higher National Diploma (HND) at the lower Credit level or equivalent professional qualifications cognate to Social Work from a recognized institution.
• Degree holders from other disciplines from recognised universities

STRESS AREAS

Foundational Courses

Social problem, policy and legislation

Human behaviour and the social environment

Social work intervention techniques and practice

Field work and areas of practice

Community organisation

Areas of Specialization

The Department runs PGD in Social Work, and Community Development.

Duration of Programme

A full-time PGD programme of the Department runs for a minimum of two semesters and a maximum of four semesters. The part-time programme runs for a minimum of four semesters and a maximum of six semesters

Requirements for Graduation

For a candidate to graduate, he/she must pass a minimum of thirty credit units made of the following:

• 15 units of core courses
• 9 units of elective courses
• 6 units from project.

External- Examiner System

An external examiner is invited at the end of the PGD programme to assess the courses and projects. The external examiner is an academic in the relevant discipline who is not less than senior lecturer’s rank and who holds a PhD in the discipline.

The project shall be subject to oral examination where the student is required to show evidence that he/she carried out the work and had pertinent knowledge of the subject matter. A score is awarded at the end of the examination.

Students’ Enrolment

The Department does not admit more than 40% of its Master’s students population for this programme, i.e. PGD.

• Master’s Programme

The Department offers Master of Science (M.Sc) degree programmes in Social Work. The core areas in which candidates may specialize are

• Gerontology
• Community Development
• Medical Social Work
• Social Policy/Industrial Social Work
• Social Work Administration
• Family Social Work
• Psychiatric Social Work
• Clinical Social Work
• School Social Work

The criteria for admission into the MSc programmes are as follows.

• Candidate must satisfy the matriculation requirements of the Universita minimum of second class (lower division) Bachelor’s degree in social work from an approved university, or a postgraduate diploma with a CGPA of not lower than 3.0 on a 5-point scale, or its equivalent, from an accredited university.
• Candidate with a PGD at credit level pass on weighted percentage average from an accredited university may also be considered.

A full-time MSc programme of the Department runs for a minimum of 12 calender months, and 18 calender months for part time programme.

For a candidate to graduate, he/she must pass a minimum of thirty-three credit units:

• 3 units from seminars
• 6 units of project.

An external examiner is invited at the end of the M.Sc programme to assess the courses and projects. The external examiner is an academic in the relevant discipline who is not less than senior lecturer’s rank and who holds a Ph.D in the discipline.

Doctor of Philosophy Programme

The Department offers Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programmes in Social Work. The core areas in which candidates may specialize are:

• Social Policy

The criteria for admission into the PhD programme are as follows.

• Candidate must have a minimum of Master’s degree in Social Work, depending of the specialization the candidate aspires to, from an approved university, with a CGPA of not lower than 3.5 on a 5-point scale, or equivalent, from an accredited university.
• Candidate must demonstrate adequate intellectual capacity, maturity and effective decision making and problem-solving potentials.
• Candidate must write a concept proposal of not less than five A-4 pages in his/her area of specialization.

A full-time PhD programme of the Department runs for a minimum of six semesters and a maximum of ten semesters.

For a candidate to graduate, he/she must pass a minimum of thirty-three credit units made of the following:

• 12 units of course work
• 6 units from seminars
• 12 units from thesis.

An external examiner is invited at the end of the PhD programme to assess the courses and projects. The external examiner is an academic in the relevant discipline who is not less than Reader’s (Associate Professor) rank.

A full-time PGD programme of the Department runs for a minimum of two semesters and a maximum of four semesters. The part-time programme runs for a minimum of four semesters and a maximum of six semesters.

Stakeholders’ engagement with law to address gender-based violence in Southwest Nigeria: a qualitative study using normalisation process theory to explore implementation challenges

https://doi.org/ 10.1136/bmjph-2024-001326

Background Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a significant issue in Nigeria. In 2015, the Federal Government of Nigeria enacted the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) to address all forms of violence. This study explored the challenges faced by stakeholders in implementing VAPP for the reduction of SGBV in Nigeria.

Methods Qualitative data were collected from 29 state and non-state actors, including government officials, police and lawyers in Lagos and Oyo States through informant interviews and using normalisation process theory. Data collection involved a review of policies and programmes and their experience regarding the implementation of VAPP.

Findings The implementation of the VAPP Act faces several challenges, including prolonged delays in the family court system, insufficient human resources, bureaucratic obstacles, impunity, overcrowded shelters and inadequate protection for survivors and witnesses. These issues often lead to delays and stalling in securing justice for survivors.

Conclusion The effective implementation of antiviolence laws requires overcoming significant obstacles. Collaboration among stakeholders, adequate funding and resources are critical to ensuring timely justice and reducing SGBV in Nigeria.

What is already known on this topic

The implementation of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) law is often fraught with various challenges.

All stakeholders are critical to the successful implementation of the VAPP law and other Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) policies.

What this study adds

While respondents acknowledged that a variety of stakeholders were cooperating closely and were actively involved in implementing the SGBV law, the critical role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) was under-recognised.

Delays in the judicial system, despite the establishment of an official family court to expedite prosecution, contributed to the ineffectiveness of the SGBV laws.

The lack of adequate shelter for survivors, especially for young women, makes revictimisation a constant experience.

Collective action of stakeholders was a progressive system, but the unrecognised support of NGOs in addressing SGBV and formulating policies that enable survivors to seek justice weakened the impact of the policy.

How this study might affect research, practice or policy

The cooperation of all stakeholders, including non-state actors, is crucial in the fight against SGBV. Public awareness of the law and the consequences for perpetrators will reduce impunity and family interference to allow the law to take its course.

Swift adjudication serves as a deterrence to potential perpetrators and sends a positive signal for policy implementation.

There is a need for provisions of improved funding and adequate shelter for GBV survivors as well as adoption of the survivors-centred approach in the implementation of the laws.

Laws and policies are often considered critical for protecting women and girls against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Globally 1 in 3 women, approximately 736 million, have experienced physical or sexual violence—a statistic that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade. 1 Younger people are at higher risk, with one in four young women aged 15–24 years who have been in relationships already experiencing violence from an intimate partner by the time they reach their mid-20s. 1 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is estimated to have the highest prevalence of violence against women among the regions in the world. According to the United Nations, 162 countries have passed laws on domestic violence, and 147 have laws on sexual misconduct in the workplace. 2 However, only 37% of countries in SSA have passed laws on domestic violence. 3 On the other hand, the existence of laws does not mean that the laws are always compliant with international standards or implemented effectively in various countries.

In 2015, the United Nations established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); SDG 5.2 aims to eliminate violence against women, 4 with Target 5.2.1 focusing on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres. The United Nations system has specified ‘justice and policing’ as part of the essential service package for women and girls subject to violence alongside health and social services; the services are expected to be coordinated at both the national and local levels. 5 Although many countries around the world have made efforts to provide basic services to combat violence, legal protection for victims of sexual violence has been limited. 6 In particular, there are significant gaps in legislation in the Middle East, North Africa and SSA, where half of the women lack legal protection. 6 The lack of criminal sanctions for perpetrators compounds the experience of women and girls who have experienced violence. As statistics show, about 1.5 billion women in education, 362 million in the workplace and 2.2 billion in public spaces are not protected from sexual harassment. 6 Along with legal authorities, the police are responsible for prosecuting any form of violence through the courts. However, despite the existing framework of essential services, the impact of such efforts is low. Cultural norms around violence, which are deeply ingrained in many societies, 7 deterred progress. For instance, there are strong cultural norms around stereotyped masculinity among male police officers, which explains their inaction to report 8–10 or prosecute any violence they witness. In addition, only a few police stations offer night services, thereby limiting the accessibility of survivors of violence to legal support and/or redress. A systematic review by Sabri et al highlighted that the key components of interventions that are effective at addressing victimisation and perpetration across levels were education or psychoeducation, psychotherapy, skills development, gender transformative activities, community engagement, a focus on men and/or partners and health promotion activities such as HIV or STI prevention. 11

In addition, non-state actors, civil society organisations (CSOs) including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as religious leaders play important roles in combating GBV. For example, if they are adequately knowledgeable, religious leaders can be engaged in promoting awareness, education and counselling on GBV. They can also provide the needed impetus and support to people in the community to promote the implementation of relevant law. 12 Over the years, NGOs around the world, including SSA, have made extensive contributions to the fight against GBV through the use of interventions such as training, counselling, activism, advocacy, community mobilisation and direct health services. 13 However, NGOs have recorded many challenges in addressing GBV, such as lack of resources, lack of transformational programmes regarding gender norms and limited communication technologies to address cyberviolence. 14 Other challenges included delays in the prosecution of perpetrators or offenders, as well as bribery and corruption among law enforcement officials. 14

Like in many other settings, intimate partner violence as a subset of GBV is prevalent in Nigeria, with a lifetime estimate of 22.2% according to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and a 13% prevalence over the past 12 months before the survey. 15 Studies have shown that the incidence and prevalence of violence against women and girls increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies. Studies also showed that health and judicial support services for GBV were often unavailable during such unplanned crises in several SSA countries. 16 17 Several efforts have been initiated in Nigeria to address the challenge of the GBV, including legislative/legal, policy, advocacy, educational and health-related interventions. The existing national policies include the National Gender Policy (2022) while the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) (2015) is one of the most significant national laws VAPP targets the elimination of violence in private and public life. It prohibits all forms of violence against persons, provides maximum protection and effective remedies for victims, and punishes offenders. 18 Before VAPP, two states—Lagos and Ekiti—enacted VAPP-like laws; specifically, Lagos State enacted the Lagos State Prohibition Against Domestic Violence Law (PADVL) in 2007. 35 states have adopted the VAPP Act (or its equivalent as in the case of Lagos and Ekiti States) 19 as at the end of 2023. 20 Prior to VAPP, Nigeria passed the Child’s Rights Act (CRA) in 2003, which addressed, among other issues, the issues of child marriage and child abuse of all forms; By the end of 2023, 35 states have adopted this Act while only 32 assented to it. 21

The judiciary is primarily responsible for the interpretation of the law, but many other state and non-state actors are involved in its implementation process. While the review of the implementation of the VAPP is scarce in the extant literature, studies have generally reported poor implementation of the CRA with associated factors including law-related causes, a weak administrative system and corruption. 22 Cultural and religious beliefs have been identified as major obstacles to the implementation of CRA, particularly in the northern part of the country. Also, many of the state governments have not demonstrated adequate political will to the implementation of the laws and, among others, did not provide the needed resources that are needed for effective implementation. Poor knowledge of the laws among relevant professionals has also been identified in the literature. 23

This study examined the responsibilities and challenges faced by stakeholders in implementing laws available for GBV in two neighbouring States in southwestern Nigeria. These are the VAPP Act of 2015, 18 ‘the Lagos State PADVL of 2007, 24 and the CRA of 2003’. 25 The major part of the three laws addresses violence against people, children, girls and women, which relate to GBV. To gain insight into the role of these laws and the challenges encountered in their implementation process, we conducted a qualitative study involving GBV stakeholders.

Study setting and design

This study used a cross-sectional research design and qualitative approach to elicit information from stakeholders on challenges faced in the implementation of laws against GBV in Nigeria. We conducted the study in two neighbouring states in the southwest geopolitical zones/region of the country, Lagos, Ikeja being the capital of Lagos State and Ibadan being the capital of Oyo States, which are the two States with the largest population in the southwest region. Lagos and Oyo have sociocultural and political similarities, the indigenous population is from the same Yoruba ancestry, and both states have enacted laws on GBV. Oyo officially adopted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAAP) law in 2020, 26 and, as noted earlier, Lagos passed its ‘Protection Against Domestic Violence Law’ (PADL) in 2007 24 and is still in force. VAPP is very similar to PADL in several dimensions. Both states have adopted the Child Rights Act (CRA). The Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 and the CRA of 2003 are used to prosecute offenders in Lagos State. Oyo State uses the CRA of 2003 with the VAPP Act for the prosecution of perpetrators.

Study population and sampling

The study obtained data through key informant interviews (KIIs) with 29 stakeholders, both state and non-state actors, between July and October 2023. The purposive method was used to sample the stakeholders who participated in the study, with emphasis being placed on those who are most likely to be knowledgeable about the GBV situation in the study states and the implementation of various interventions, including laws relating to GBV. Before recruiting participants, stakeholder mapping was conducted to determine which organisations, groups of people and individuals were involved in the response to GBV in Nigeria and, specifically, the study locations. 27 The study identified three key informants through stakeholder mapping. A further referral was used to identify others on the GBV response team, such as government agencies, NGOs and individuals like religious leaders. Theoretical saturation 28 29 was reached after satisfactory responses were collected, and no new information was received from the stakeholders of either the state or non-state actors.

The state actors who participated in the study included selected officials of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs and Gender Division of the Nigeria Police, Civil Defense Corps, Family Court and Lawyers, particularly from the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA). The non-state actors included representatives of NGOs and religious leaders. All the actors were members of the Domestic and Sexual Violence-Response Team (DSV-RT) in the two states. DSV-RTs are composed of government agencies, NGOs and religious leaders who came together to fight against GBV to synergise actions. However, the Lagos DSV-RT has been upgraded to an agency called DSV-Agency, which is under the office of the state government.

Study conceptual framework

To understand the process of implementing laws against SGBV in Nigeria, with a focus on the study locations, normalisation process theory (NPT) was incorporated into the inquiry. 30 31 The NPT framework focuses on the work that individuals, groups, or organisations do to enable interventions such as policies and programmes to become normalised 32 and acceptable to people. The NPT framework was used to explore the various challenges faced by stakeholders in the implementation process of the VAPP, PADL and CRA on violence against girls and women in Nigeria. In this study, the NPT refers to the normalisation of the implementation of all laws regarding GBV, that influence activities performed by DSV-RT. Together, this group fights SGBV at different levels through several interventions, including the referral of survivors for health treatment, the provision of shelters, community mobilisation and the prosecution of perpetrators. Normalisation is achieved when the DSV-RT’s roles and activities align with standard requirements for the successful implementation of GBV laws.

The four constructs of the NPT are coherence (or sense-making), cognitive participation (or engagement), collective action (work done to enable the intervention to happen) and reflective monitoring (formal and informal appraisal of the benefits and cost of the intervention). Coherence focuses on how actors or stakeholders involved in the intervention, understand the aims and expected benefits of the intervention. The cognitive domain focuses on the work that stakeholders do or engage in to sustain the intervention. Cognitive participation is central to the engagement of individuals and groups 30 among their respective stakeholders. Stakeholders do or engage in the work of sustaining an intervention. Collective action involves the effort put into enabling the intervention to work. This includes interaction with existing parties such as DSV-RT to strengthen it. Finally, reflexive monitoring focuses on the formal and informal appraisal of the benefits of the law against GBV and the cost of such interventions. It also means how non-state actors of DSV-RT understand and assess GBV laws. Individual and group appraisals are used to evaluate the implementation progress. NPT is a theory that fits this study, as it evaluates and measures an intervention’s implementation process. The questions for the KII guide were created using the NPT domains related to the interaction of DSV-RT and the UN essential framework as a basis (detailed NPT constructs, see online supplemental table 1 ).

In addition, we adapted the implementation of the essential service framework developed by the United Nations Joint Global Programme on ‘Essential Services for Women and Girls Subject to Violence’ to assess the current situation and identify the available services. The three-streamline essential services are health, justice and policing, and social services (see table 1 ). These three essential service deliveries are characterised by nine components, namely, availability, accessibility, adaptability, appropriateness, prioritisation of safety, informed consent and confidentiality, effective communication and participation of stakeholders in the implementation and assessment of services, data collection, and information management and linking with other agencies through coordination. 5 The relevance of this framework is to show that all stakeholders involved in this study were characterised under the essential services provider to respond to victims and survivors of GBV.

Clients and public involvement

The DSV-RT stakeholders who work with survivors at government ministries and NGOs in both states guided the KII on the field. We had dissemination sessions of the findings with stakeholders for feedback on the findings and the way forward on the issue of SGBV in the two locations.

Data collection

With the aid of an interview guide, the data were collected from the stakeholders via electronic tablets using the Open Data Kit (ODK) software package. The first author and a trained researcher who specialised in qualitative data conducted the interviews. Due to the busy schedule of the stakeholders, prior notice was given by mail and through several telephone calls to schedule a time for a meeting in their various offices. A few people who were extremely busy and could not accommodate physical interviews on their schedule at that time were interviewed by Zoom call to avoid further postponement of the interview process. The data were saved directly on a secure server located at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, Switzerland.

The NPT domains and essential services package were operationalised into specific questions. The questions generally focused on the involvement of the stakeholders, the roles and the challenges that influence the implementation of laws against GBV. The questions were piloted in Osun State, another State in southwestern Nigeria that was not a part of the study locations. The first author and a research assistant conducted the in-person interviews with field notes and data from all the stakeholders in both locations, which lasted 30–45 min.

Data analysis

The objectives of the study guided the direction of the data analysis. The data collected from stakeholders ODK was transcribed verbatim, and ATLAS.ti (V.8) was used for the data analysis. An inductive approach was used through in-depth reading of the transcripts and iteration process to develop codes and themes. The framework method 33 guided the data analysis within the scope of the NPT and Essential Services Framework, and inductive analysis explored themes as they emerged from the data. 30 31 33 The data were separately coded by two coders, including the first author, and subsequently validated by one of the coauthors (SM) for intercoder reliability. The essential services framework was considered when coding the data and the data were later reorganised under the appropriate NPT domains model (see figure 1 ).

Model outlining the complex reality of implementing Domestic and Sexual Violence-Response Team (DSV-RT) underpinned by normalisation process theory constructs.

The full details of the demographic characteristics of the study respondents are shown in table 2 .

Coherence to the VAPP Act, PADVL and CRA in addressing GBV

Stakeholders in the two locations demonstrated consistency and coherence in their responses concerning the laws in place to address GBV. One of the participants, for example, explained as follows:

…The recent one is the VAPP Act 2015 from the national level, which was adopted in Oyo State as law in 2020. We just showed you; this is it. In addition, truly, we have been getting results, and they can prosecute you with it [ ….]. You know the police will say it is “two fighting”; husband and wife. Hmm hmmm, now it has changed. Therefore, the VAPP law is the one we are using mostly now (KII 13, Lawyer (FIDA), Ibadan).

The non-state actors also demonstrated coherence of the laws and in the case where state actors wanted to deviate from the law, the knowledge of the non-state actors helped to sustain the process of handling GBV cases. As one participant articulated:

Yes, VAPP the law…. is one of the things that has given us an upper hand when we go out to manage GBV cases. We used the judiciary standard of procedures to guide our activities. Therefore, we can put some of the officers through. Okay, this is it; this is what is written in this law book because, as advocates for children and vulnerable persons, we do not want to work outside the law. We prefer our cases to follow due procedures to get justice in our organization. (KII 7, NGO Lagos)

Shared responsibilities among stakeholders in addressing GBV cases

Most of the stakeholders stated their responsibility as essential services to ensure the successful implementation of the GBV laws. Combating SGBV is considered a shared responsibility among stakeholders; each of the participants mentioned what they do to ensure the implementation of the laws by first informing the necessary stakeholders and then describing the process of bringing the perpetrators to justice. Some participants spoke about what they do:

[…] We have embarked on serious dissemination of information, that’s number one. We do many visits to relevant stakeholders and organize seminars, symposiums, and other activities. […] Every department has to know the way to prevent people from suffering [due to GBV]; that is the essence of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and that is why it affects all other ministries. There is no ministry with which we are not working (KII 14, Ministry of Women Affairs Ibadan).

During the discussions, some participants were specifically asked about the role their organisations were playing in achieving the aims of the VAPP Act and other related laws that aim to provide justice for survivors of GBV at the state and community levels. The non-state actors mentioned various efforts they had taken in the past and in collaboration with government ministries to ensure that, GBV survivors receive the desired attention. A participant from an NGO stated:

In our foundation, if you go to our website, it is there (ie, a copy of the VAPP act). We go to schools to teach students so that they can report [cases of SGBV]; we’re in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs Lagos […]. Our legal advocacy includes supporting client rights from case reporting to the closure of the case. When we receive cases from “my child” helplines or referrals, we go to the police station with the victim (ie, a survivor of violence) to reduce the fear of ‘I do not want to go to the police’, and we give the victim legal information. (KII 6, NGO expert Lagos).

Officers of the gender unit of the police force also mentioned their responsibility, which is to ensure that GBV survivors get justice. One of the participants mentioned:

Our responsibility is to write a statement, conduct an investigation, arrest the suspect, and follow up to obtain justice for the survivors (KII 15, female lead, OC Gender Unit of Police Force, Lagos).

Despite shared responsibility, several challenges confront the smooth implementation of GBV laws by response teams in both states as mentioned by the participants.

Lack of understanding of the law among citizens and leaders

Respondents in both states noted that many citizens lack knowledge of the law, legal processes and corresponding punishments. As one participant stated,

Awareness of the GBV law to demystify the cultural and religious complexities attached to case reporting is still lacking (KII 6, NGO expert, Lagos).

Corruption among law enforcement agents

Some respondents indicated that inadequate cooperation among law enforcement agents was a major challenge, based on the insufficient knowledge of GBV-related laws on the part of some of them. Although the police force has a gender unit with the responsibility to prevent, protect, investigate and make perpetrators accountable as part of essential service actions, the perspective of respondents was that the overall performance of the police force was generally poor in terms of GBV response. Several respondents, for example, reported corrupt practices on the part of some law enforcement personnel, which compromised their willingness to prosecute GBV perpetrators.

We still have some corrupt officers in the Nigerian police. Once they are bribed, you know they have removed the court charges. At the end of the day, you see the perpetrator flying around… (KII 2, female NGO Lagos)

Some other participants mentioned the involvement of police officers in GBV cases as an opportunity for corrupt practices. A participant responded:

When police officers are involved, their level of corruption during the processing of cases is high, and they try to settle some cases that are meant to go to court. We still have them at most of the stations (KII 7, NGO expert, Lagos).

Some participants claimed that going through the channels of some state and non-state actors to the police to report cases makes the process swift compared with the individuals going directly. A participant, for example, noted:

[…] hmm because at the police station level [there are many cases] of GBV. Well, for example, if you come through us now you might even get justice on time because we are professional lawyers, they will not ask us for money (shishi)… They know we are coming from the top, but if you just go on your own, the policeman on duty can say “kilo se yin” (what happened to you)… are you not an African woman? (KII 13, FIDA Lawyer, Ibadan)

Cognitive participation

Participation/engagement in sustainable intervention.

The involvement and commitment of various governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in the implementation of GBV laws were mentioned as crucial. Multisectoral collaborations among stakeholders were highly praised, as they helped establish a cordial relationship and better results. Non-state actors such as NGOs and religious leaders were instrumental in facilitating the easy implementation of GBV laws. They created awareness; provided psychosocial assistance, legal aid and shelter to survivors and conducted community sensitisation programmes, which complemented the efforts of the state actors. These are parts of the social services response to GBV, which is an important aspect of essential service actions in the framework. One of the highlights of NGO involvement was reaching vulnerable communities that state actors typically do not reach.

It was severally mentioned by the study participants that a single arm of state actors alone could not effectively combat GBV in the state; this is in line with the framework of essential services. Thus, it is important to involve a broad group of stakeholders as such fosters knowledge-sharing about the law, cases and prosecution processes. During the discussion, one of the stakeholders emphasised this point:

Yes, you know I told you that we have a unified response, which offers pathway documentation. We work together with the Commissioner for Health, Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Honorable Chief judges, and representatives of the NGOs. This is our commitment to proper documentation [cases] when cases are reported. Therefore, multiple sectoral collaborations exist, and based on that, we are able to do a good job (KII 3, DSV-Agency Lagos).

A response from other stakeholders emphasised the importance of the cognitive participation of stakeholders:

As you know, our own is just to provide justice to survivors, which is our primary aim. […] When there is a need for us to provide care and shelter as the name implies, we refer through the Ministry of Women Affairs, (KII 11, CVD Corps Ibadan)

Limited involvement of non-state actors in ensuring effective implementation of laws

Stakeholders have raised concerns about the potential impact of religious/community leaders on the implementation of the laws aimed at combating violence against women and girls. Despite this, they have also acknowledged the critical role that religious/community leaders, who are closer to the community, could play in mediating discussions around GBV. Educating their congregations and community members through effective communication and acting as mandated reporters for GBV cases helps raise awareness of the impact of such violence and the legal consequences that perpetrators may face. However, this cooperation is still limited by a lack of awareness on the part of many religious leaders:

The government needs to enlighten people more, through the right channel of communication. Some people have not even heard about it, someone … like me, I have not even heard about the GBV laws you are talking about now (KII 23, Religious leader Lagos). No! I do not know any GBV laws. Our lawyer will know that…. (KII 20, female Religious leader, Ibadan)

One of the religious leaders claimed he was aware of the law but stated that the law ‘is for the poor’, as the rich have a way of exempting themselves from the law:

Yes, the law is not having good standing here, and again what is destroying the law in Nigeria is nepotism; he is one of us; we must not do that to him. If it is one of them, they will not do anything about it, which is unfair; the law is law (KII 23, female religious leaders, Lagos).

Collective action

There have been numerous obstacles hindering the collective effort to enforce GBV laws. Among these challenges are inadequate resources, including insufficient funding, human resources and shelter, as well as delayed justice. The government’s limited resources such as poorly designed shelter structures, low awareness of the laws, weak judiciary and policing systems, and low allocation of funds for gender issues, contributed to these difficulties. These negatively affect coordination, which is expected at the national and local government levels and is part of the essential service for responding effectively to violence against women and girls. Furthermore, the lack of accountability (i.e; what is available and what is needed) among stakeholders only exacerbated this issue.

Limited financial resources and low budgetary allocation

One of the challenges identified by stakeholders is the constraint of limited resources, which impedes the smooth implementation of laws and the achievement of justice for survivors. NGOs primarily rely on financial aid from international donors, which can be sporadic and uncertain due to the competitive nature of the funding. As such, even a modest increase in financial support from domestic sources can significantly benefit stakeholders' efforts. Consequently, participants opined that collaboration with and provision of support to non-state actors by the government is imperative for achieving improved results in the efforts to end GBV. The representatives of DSV-RT and other agencies also mentioned the challenges of needing resources for day-to-day activities to end GBV:

[…] there are budgetary challenges and budgetary constraints. The fact that we have a budget does not necessarily mean that we will be able to access funds. So that always impedes on more capacity and to respond [and the] delivery and function of the work (KII 3, female lead, DSV-Agency, Lagos).

While a participant from the Ministry of Health emphasises the challenge of budgeting:

[…] of course, there are challenges, I mean in as much as the government wants people to obey the law. There is also the limitation of budgetary allocation to such intervention (KII 4, female lead MOH, Lagos).

Another participant mentioned poor funding in terms of welfare and logistics:

With poor funding, we also have poor funding for welfare and logistics. We have […] lack of provisions for infrastructure for these critical agencies. (KII 10, male lead Family court, Ibadan).

Judiciary system and policing

The judiciary system of the country created the family court to expedite the prosecution process, but the challenge of the structural system persists. One of the essential services of the family court is to provide information about the law and coordinate justice. It was indicated that it usually takes a long time, on the part of government parastatals, to reportedly gather sufficient evidence to prosecute an offender. The minimum time is about a year for a case to get to court, prosecuted and the offender punished. A police official was concerned with the transfer of officers within a short period of time to other stations, which impacts negatively on the effectiveness and timeliness of the justice process, as handing over cases to a new officer takes another round of processes.

Delayed justice and protection order

A prolonged delay in obtaining justice leads to a loss of interest in the case by the victims (ie, survivors of GBV) (KII 21, OC Gender Police, Ibadan).

One of the participants from OC gender office of the police force mentioned that the delay of cases due to transfer of personnel is not limited to police officers but also affects other law enforcement officers:

[…] a time the delay comes from us too… Now we are agitating to stop posting us (police force members) up and down within a short period. Maybe they posted an officer to the northern part of the country because we are federal workers, and it will take time for police to give evidence due to sudden changes in location. This also happens to magistrates; they transfer them anyway. Imagine you get to the court they will say is not the magistrate that processed the matter; the matter has been taken to another court; this means starting all over again. These factors affect the inefficiency of prosecution (KII 8, OC Gender Police, Lagos).

During the time of waiting for the court to decide a case, the protection of survivors and witnesses is one of the challenges of handling GBV cases. One of the stakeholders mentioned:

Some of the challenges are the protection of witnesses and survivors. There is a need for a protection order until the final judgment (KII 6, NGO, Lagos).

A respondent from the family court also emphasised the issue of protection order, he said:

I would say lack of protection (is a challenge) (KII 10, male leader Family court, Ibadan).

In addition, concerns about the fact that what survivors want as justice are still not defined makes prosecution difficult. One of the stakeholders mentioned that survivors retreat when they hear that the perpetrators would be jailed, as many of the perpetrators are close acquaintances or breadwinners. They mostly want restitution, compensation and non-repetition from the perpetrators.

Like I said, the woman with three girls sexually molested by her husband, don’t want her husband to be prosecuted, saying he is the breadwinner and a good man who plans to take her children to Army school (KII 15, OC Police Gender Office, Lagos).

Shortage of human resources among state actors

Some stakeholders from state actors recounted the challenges of human resources, as the work to fight GBV is enormous if the laws are to be effectively implemented. Participants noted that some workers have retired while others have resigned for greener pastures and have not been replaced. Additionally, older staff members have limited ability to run around to ensure that GBV issues are promptly addressed.

You know, we do not have enough lawyers. There is still a waiting time because we just do not have enough judges even though there is a special court…. (KII 4, female lead MOJ, Lagos).

Insufficient shelter home for survivors

Participants from various ministries and NGOs mentioned concern about limited shelter spaces in the face of increased reporting of GBV. Most of the reported cases showed the need to keep survivors away from the scene of the violence occurrence for a period (especially children). Unfortunately, the shelter facility provided by the states for SGBV survivors is overcrowded. Additionally, NGOs and CSOs have a limited number of shelters. In addition, the stakeholders mentioned that the shelters used were mostly for children younger than the legal age. As such, 18-year-old adolescents may not be able to find spaces at this age, which increases their vulnerability.

One of the participants noted:

[…] Everything will still go back to the Lagos State government, and now the shelter is overcrowded. They do not accept adolescents; the only children they accept are babies and abandoned babies; but those children are in contact with the law; they do not have shelter to keep them, and we will be forced to return them to their parents (KII 15, OC Police Gender Office, Lagos).

While respondents from Ibadan, Oyo State, mentioned different categories of people who are entitled to shelter because of the limited facilities as follows:

We only have one shelter home for children, but they are in categories because the homes are meant for people without parents, such as abandoned orphans, street children or perhaps children whose mothers or parents are serving jail time, although this is not enough […] (KII 14, male lead, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ibadan).

Another participant mentioned that the standard number of shelters required per district are generally not met by the existing state-owned shelters.

[…] Of course, the law says that we have at least five shelters across the five divisions of offices in the area (KII 3, DSV-Agency, Lagos).

Reflexive monitoring

Dsv-rt improves the coordination of gbv interventions for rapid support.

Stakeholders emphasised that the establishment of DSV-RT increases commitment to take the action needed to end GBV in both states. Participants—both state and non-state actors—mentioned the involvement of all stakeholders in facilitating the process by supporting survivors through referral mechanisms and the prosecution of perpetrators or redress.

[…] There is also an agency created by this administration—the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency; we also have CSOs, including a lot of NGOs who work on GBV cases. Yes, different agencies, but we work together. The Ministry of Women Affairs is the coordinating ministry for gender, so we coordinate others; we work hand in hand with the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, who are also custodians of social workers in Lagos state (KII 5, female lead Ministry of Women Affairs, Lagos).

Inadequate coordination due to societal, individual and institutional challenges

The coordination of stakeholders to enhance the successful implementation of GBV laws can be an intensive experience. Lack of accountability among stakeholders in both states is largely due to poor coordination. The Ministry of Justice is in charge of the laws, while the implementation process involves several other stakeholders. Coordination of the participating groups, which is the responsibility of the Ministry of Women Affairs, could be challenging. The sociocultural and judgmental attitudes of society regarding GBV as well as individual and institutional challenges that confront the progress of the implementation were mentioned:

So I would say we’re confronted with societal challenges…to sabotage reporting/prosecution process, I would say individual challenges….taking rational decisions, I would say institutional challenges….inadequate funding. We are not perfect, and there are lapses. Therefore, we are attempting to reduce these lapses (KII 3, female lead, DSV-Agency, Lagos).

The aim of this study was to explore the challenges relating to the implementation of laws against GBV in Nigeria. The researchers used the NPT construct’s four components (coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, reflective monitoring) to structure the analysis and interpretation. Coherence ensures stakeholders involved in the intervention (DSV-RT) towards eradication of SGBV; cognitive participation ensures every stakeholder engages with full participation; collective action ensures sustainable activities from stakeholders that enable the intervention to work while reflective focuses on the appraisal of the DSV-RT and its cost. While the NPT focuses on the process of change, the Essential Services Framework examines the structural conditions in terms of governance, economic and social factors that influence the implementation of the VAAP, the Protection Against Domestic Violence (PADV) Law and the CRA in the fight against GBV.

The study showed that effective collaboration among various state and non-state actors is crucial for achieving the overall goal of ending GBV. Government ministries, NGOs and community leaders have collaborated to work in partnership to address cases of violence against women. Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness about the existence of this response team among citizens in both study locations. A study of GBV among adolescent girls and young women from Tanzanian also revealed that citizens generally lack awareness of laws or political developments related to GBV, even among survivors. 34 Another study from Iraq showed that women have good knowledge of legislation and related laws but lack the boldness and knowledge of how to contact law enforcement agencies. 35 This may be because the level of information available by different agencies supporting victims and survivors is still not accessible to people; this finding is in agreement with our findings. Our study supports the previous findings that most stakeholders are aware of the laws and have considerably publicised it to all relevant agencies. Despite this, there is still a low level of implementation among stakeholders because of various challenges.

The evidence suggests that involving critical stakeholders, including citizens, in the implementation of relevant laws is achieved by sharing a coherent perception of their roles, purposes and understanding of the implications. The law needs to be effectively embraced not only among the executors but also, most importantly, among the citizens. 36 A programme review and critique on the role of participation and community mobilisation in preventing GBV by Minckas et al highlighted the crucial role played by community mobilisation and participation in preventing GBV and in the long-term sustainability of programmes and policies. 37 Similarly, other studies have emphasised the importance of community accountability, collectiveness and possible engagement with perpetrators in effectively addressing GBV. 37 38 However, community involvement requires accountability and recognition of the community as the primary point of contact for prevention and intervention, helping community members become central actors. 38 39 Equipping community members with the necessary skills to end violence can help facilitate the implementation of laws relating to ending GBV.

Despite the involvement of various actors in the implementation process, the legal process by which perpetrators are appropriately prosecuted to provide survivors with justice remains challenging. Factors associated with this challenge and the community. The Nigerian criminal justice system defines GBV as a crime involving identifiable victims and perpetrators. The system follows a typical process of arresting offenders, prosecuting offenders and punishing offenders. However, our research findings reveal that the criminalisation of perpetrators often results in survivors dropping out of GBV cases. This is because most perpetrators are usually related to the victims, as shown by the NDHS. 15 A study showed that inadequate awareness of relevant legal provisions of GBV among women influences their decisions, 40 which is consistent with our study. Second, delays in the investigative process and justice delivery experienced by survivors 41 can put them at risk of being influenced by family and friends. In most cases, there are no provisions for legal protection after reporting, which puts the lives of survivors at risk of further attacks. Delays in justice delivery are often attributed to structural problems, such as the transfer of officers who were assigned to a particular case of GBV. The transfer of cases means starting all over. This also applies to judges, as recounted by the participants.

Communication is an important aspect of the implementation process. Communication intervention 42 is a crucial service that is required at both the individual and community levels for the efficacy of policy intervention. Stakeholders mentioned that most survivors and non-state actors still lack knowledge of the available laws, their implications and their consequences. Other services provided by stakeholders for which survivors are not aware include psychosocial support, healthcare support, shelter and empowerment are not well communicated to the public.

Participants also reported insufficient fund for the GBV response team. There is a lack of appropriate budgeting and inadequate resources to support day-to-day activities. Although most of the services that survivors need are free, they are often confronted with out-of-pocket expenses to finance their travels from their homes to police stations and courts, which can be costly and mostly shouldered by victims themselves. A lack of appropriate budgeting for day-to-day activities can lead to difficulty in sustaining various stakeholders’ ongoing interventions. A scoping review noted that poor accountability (ie; what is available and what is needed) and weak commitment across sectors can limit the effectiveness of interventions. 43 However, individual stakeholders’ competency and shared concerns about engaging in interventions can lead to strong accountability and overall achievement in reducing GBV. 44 All stakeholders need to implement accountability systems and ensure an understanding of the current laws on GBV that reach the community and government involvement by duly recognising and compensating both state and non-state actors.

One of the important challenges identified by the team is a need for protection of survivors during the prosecution period. It is important to note that not all survivors go directly to a shelter, as some cases may not require it. However, protection orders by law enforcement agencies ensure survivors’ safety, which are not often used. The section 28–36 of the VAPP Act provides an extensive protection order, an official legal document signed by a judge that restrains an individual from further abusive behaviour towards a survivor. A study conducted in Ghana on formal support services and the (dis)empowerment of domestic violence survivors showed that protective orders were necessary for survivor protection. 45 The protection order is included in the VAPP Act but is not being used 46 ; this may be due to a lack of information among both survivors and law enforcement agents. This finding corroborates previous studies from FIDA-Ghana on why so few women apply for protection orders 47 and that some police officers were also not familiar with the law or its provisions. 48 Comprehensive education among law enforcement agents on the relevant laws and the need to emphasise how such laws are used to protect survivors and access to justice should be prioritised.

Limitations and strengths

The limitations of the study are related to its design and settings and should be considered when interpreting the findings. First, the study concentrated only on the opinions of mostly top-level officials in selected state government agencies, NGO personnel and religious/community leaders within the implementation landscape of GBV-related laws. The interviews exempted some other strategic stakeholders, such as those working in international development organisations. Nevertheless, the breadth of opinions on the research question captured valid perspectives of relevant stakeholders. Second, since the study used a qualitative approach, the findings reflected only the stakeholders’ perceptions in the course of their services and not necessarily as government representatives. This study has several strengths. First, the stakeholders were drawn from various sectors actively involved in the implementation of GBV-related laws and their perspectives, therefore, providing robust insight into the experiences and challenges in the implementation of national laws to address GBV. Second, this is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, to have examine the challenges encountered in the implementation of VAPP as a national law to address GBV in Nigeria. Third, this study drew participants from a collaborative multi-sectoral platform that was specifically established to address GBV and related violence—the DSV-RT. DSV-RT is critical to the efforts to reduce GBV in Nigeria. As such, the perspective and experience of its stakeholders provide invaluable and real-life insights that could help in improving efforts to reduce GBV through a more effective implementation of relevant laws. Finally, our study demonstrated the utility of applying the essential service framework and the NPT constructs in exploring stakeholders’ experience and challenges in the implementation of GBV-related laws. Through the NPT, we examined the participation of different stakeholders, including state and non-state actors, in ending GBV. Our analysis identifies factors that either support or impede the implementation process of these laws and to understand better the responsibilities and challenges this DSV-RT-based initiative faces in the context of sustainability and normalisation.

Policy implications

Our research shows that the efforts of DSV-RT are not supported with the necessary resources to carry out the goal of the initiative and highly promising implementation framework. The insufficient workforce, inadequate financial resources, delayed justice, limited number of shelters and the overcrowded nature of the existing shelters tend to limit the potential impact of efforts to reduce GBV in Nigeria, particularly in the study locations. There is a need to address these challenges so as to achieve the desired impact of the laws that are in place to strengthen the national response to GBV in Nigeria. This study has demonstrated the essential role of multisectoral approach involving state and non-state actors in addressing GBV, with the DSV-RT as the convening platform. Multisectoral platforms need effective coordination to achieve the best results, and this is one of the areas that need more attention in Nigeria; the capacity of the Ministry of Women Affairs in its coordinating role must, thus, be strengthened. One of the key realisations from this study is that there is a constant need to interrogate efforts to address GBV so as to understand the challenges that implementors may be encountering and promptly address such to keep the GBV response in the state at optimal levels. Overall, there is a critical need to put in place appropriate monitoring and evaluation systems regarding the implementation of GBV-related laws and other GBV-focused interventions in Nigeria for effective results.

The essential service framework for GBV 5 developed by the United Nations provides a robust package of critical actions needed across several sectors to appropriately support the survivors of GBV and ensure survivor-centred multisectoral responses. There is a need for GBV stakeholders in Nigeria, particularly at the policy level, to leverage on the essential service framework to further identify where and in what direction the GBV responses in Nigeria need strengthening in sectoral contexts.

There is a need for multisectoral organisations to evaluate the involvement of different stakeholders and identify the implementation challenges they may be experiencing so as to improve the effectiveness in addressing the issue of GBV. There is a need for increased financial and other resources for effective implementation of GBV-related laws to achieve the desired results. Among others, systemic reforms to improve resource allocation and strengthen accountability mechanisms, as well as procedural reforms that expedite the justice delivery process are critical to making the implementation of GBV-related laws more effective in Nigeria.

• Supplementary files
• Publication history
• Rapid Responses