.Women’s rights regressing worldwide -UN
.Says there is need to close the justice gap for women and girls
.Nigeria seeks renewed commitment
.CCD calls for protection, equal access to justice
By Anthony Ochela, Abuja
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, IWD, the plight of women across the world has once again come to the fore with the United Nations, UN, saying Women’s rights are regressing worldwide as women hold only 64 per cent of the legal rights that men enjoy globally, a UN report has found.
The UN, also stated that in spite of decades of progress, the report says women and girls are still not equal to men under the law anywhere on earth.
The report titled, ‘Ensuring and Strengthening Access to Justice for All Women and Girls’, says laws are being reshaped to restrict women’s freedoms, silence their voices and allow abuse without consequence.
It warns that women and girls are being failed by the very systems meant to protect them.
According to the report, this leaves them exposed to abuse, injustice and impunity as backlash against gender equality intensifies.
The 2026 International Women’s Day highlights the urgent need to close the justice gap for women and girls worldwide.
International Women’s Day 2026 shines a spotlight on a critical issue: inequality in justice systems around the world.
“The reality is stark. In more than half of the world’s countries, rape laws are not based on consent”, the report reads.
“Nearly three out of four nations still legally allow girls to be forced into marriage, cutting short childhoods, education and future.
“Forty-four percent of countries do not have laws that guarantee equal pay for work of equal value.
“About 54% of countries lack consent-based definition of rape”.
In many places, women still face legal barriers to owning property, seeking divorce, passing citizenship to their children, or even working and moving freely without their husband’s permission.
According to UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, when women and girls are denied justice, the damage goes far beyond any single case.
“Public trust erodes, institutions lose legitimacy, and the rule of law itself is weakened. A justice system that fails half the population cannot claim to uphold justice at all”, Bahous said.
However, some progress has been made, and it matters, according to the report.
“Today, 87% of countries have laws against domestic violence and more than 40 nations have strengthened constitutional protections for women and girls in the past decade”, it says.
In spite of the reported progress, the report says laws alone are not enough.
“Survivors often face stigma, fear, financial barriers and a lack of trust in institutions meant to protect them.
“As a result, justice remains out of reach for far too many”, the report says.
At the same time, the report says the world is witnessing troubling setbacks.
In some places, it says hard-won rights are being rolled back, while new forms of violence, such as digital abuse, are increasing.
“For the 676 million women and girls living within 50 kilometres of active conflict zones, justice systems are largely absent, and perpetrators act with impunity.
“Rape continues to be used as a weapon of war, with reported cases of sexual violence rising by 87% in just two years”.
According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, “Women’s rights are human rights and investigating in women and girls is one of the surest ways to make the world a better place”.
International Women’s Day is, therefore, not only a moment of reflection, it is a call to action, Guterres says.
“When women are not equal under the law, equality does not truly exist.
“Ensuring justice for all women and girls is essential for building fairer, stronger societies everywhere. Now is the time to act”, he said.
The UN chief urged support for UN Women and women’s movements worldwide to help turn rights into reality for every woman and girl.
In Nigeria the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, called for renewed and urgent commitment to the protection of women and girls’ rights, emphasising the need to move beyond policy promises to concrete actions.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, made the call in a statement signed by Fatima Mohammed, the Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, in commemoration to the International Women’s Day 2026.
According to Ojukwu, the theme for this year’s commemoration, “Give to Gain”, is a reminder that the pursuit of gender equality must go beyond rhetoric to deliberate and sustained action.
He added actions aimed at dismantling barriers that hinder women and girls from fully enjoying their fundamental human rights.
He emphasised the need to invest in women through resources, education, and mentorship which will create a stronger, more equitable society.
”The NHRC, in line with its statutory mandate to promote, protect and enforce the rights of all persons in Nigeria, remains firmly committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of women and girls across the country.
” The Commission maintains a dedicated department responsible for issues relating to women and children, which over the years has received and handled numerous complaints bordering on sexual and gender-based violence, discrimination and other rights violations affecting women and girls.
”Through mediation, investigation and other intervention mechanisms, the Commission has successfully resolved many of these cases, securing remedies for victims while promoting accountability and reinforcing respect for the dignity and rights of women”, he said.
Ojukwu expressed concern about the continued incidence of early and forced marriage in some communities.
He noted that the practice deprives girls of their childhood, denies them access to education and exposes them to significant health and socio-economic risks.
Ojukwu further highlighted the low level of women’s representation in political and decision-making spaces.
He stressed that inclusive governance cannot be achieved without the meaningful participation of women.
The executive secretary also noted that women often bear a disproportionate burden in situations of insecurity, conflict and displacement.
He added, where they are exposed to heightened risks of exploitation, violence and loss of livelihoods.
According to Ojukwu, advancing and investing on the rights of women, is not only a moral responsibility but also a constitutional imperative and a key driver of sustainable development.
He emphasised the need for stronger implementation of laws and policies designed to protect women and girls, while ensuring that survivors of rights violations have timely access to justice and effective remedies.
Ojukwu commended Nigerian women for their resilience, courage and invaluable contributions to national development across various sectors .
These, he added including governance, education, business, agriculture, security and community development.
“As we commemorate International Women’s Day, we must reaffirm our collective commitment to building a society where every woman and girl can live free from violence, discrimination and fear, and where their rights and dignity are fully respected.
”The Commission reaffirms its commitment to continuing advocacy, monitoring and public engagement initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and strengthening the protection of the rights of women and girls in Nigeria”, he said.
Besides, centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CCD, has renewed it call for the inclusion, rights, and development of women and girls with disabilities.
Un a statement signed by the Acting Director of CCD, Mr Godwin Unumeri, said the organisation was in solidarity with women and girls living with disabilities whose rights continued to be overlooked and inadequately protected.
It said that the 2026 IWD theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For all Women and Girls” was a reminder that access to justice was a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of equality and dignity.
According to Unumeri, women and girls with disabilities in Nigeria and other societies continue to face systemic discrimination rooted in harmful social norms, discriminatory laws, weak legal protections, and inaccessible justice systems.
The director noted that these realities deny them the opportunity to live free from violence, participate fully in society, and seek justice on an equal basis with others.
He said:” As affirmed by Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.
” This principle must apply fully and equally to women and girls with disabilities.
“Women and girls with disabilities experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination on the basis of gender and disability in critical areas of life such as education, employment, healthcare and access to justice leaving them behind”.
He noted that they continued to face discrimination, limited access to education, increasing vulnerability to poverty and abuse, forced dependency, exclusion from leadership, political participation, and decision-making spaces among others.
The organisation, however, emphasised the need for urgent reforms and elimination of discriminatory laws, policies, and practices that affect women and girls with disabilities, Inclusive and equitable justice systems that provide reasonable accommodation.
Others are survivor-centered services, stronger protection and prevention measures to end gender-based violence, disability-inclusive legal aid services, Increased representation and participation of women with disabilities in governance.
The director noted that true equality could not be achieved when women and girls with disabilities were excluded from justice, denied protection, or silenced by systems meant to uphold their rights.
The IWD is commemorated annually on March 8 to celebrate the achievements of women.
It is also celebrated to advance the global movement for gender equality and the protection of the rights of women and girls.
