Economic Empowerment Critical to Women’s Safety, Says Abhulimhen

Women’s protection from gender-based violence (GBV) must go beyond physical safety to include economic empowerment, according to development advocate Dr. Martins Abhulimhen, who has called for financial resilience to become a central pillar of survivor protection in Nigeria.

Abhulimhen revealed that while gender-based violence is widely recognized as a criminal justice, public health and social challenge, its economic dimension has received far less attention despite its significant impact on survivors’ ability to escape abusive situations.
According to him, many women remain trapped in violent relationships because they lack access to income, employment opportunities, financial resources, transportation, identification documents and safe housing.

“A woman may understand that she is in danger and still lack the practical means to leave,” he said, noting that protection programmes should integrate economic empowerment alongside emergency interventions.

He explained that economic abuse often accompanies domestic violence, with perpetrators preventing women from working, confiscating their earnings, restricting access to bank accounts, creating debts in their names or using financial dependence as a means of control.
Abhulimhen stressed that income generation alone cannot eliminate violence against women, but argued that economic agency significantly strengthens survivors’ capacity to make independent decisions and rebuild their lives.

He maintained that comprehensive responses to GBV should combine law enforcement, healthcare, psychosocial support, safe accommodation, skills development and responsible financial inclusion.

Referring to a 2021 initiative announced by Jose Foundation and Agency Alliance Limited, Abhulimhen said the programme proposed using technology to expand financial inclusion for women across Nigeria through access to point-of-sale devices, working capital, business training and income-generating opportunities.

He noted that while public reports indicated the initiative was intended to reach up to 500,000 women, the figure should not be interpreted as the number of beneficiaries without independently verified implementation outcomes.

“The concept behind the initiative remains highly relevant,” he said, adding that financial inclusion programmes should prioritize transparency, affordability, consumer protection and digital security.

He also recommended that such initiatives include safeguards to protect women’s personal information and prevent technology from exposing survivors’ identities or locations.

According to him, the success of financial inclusion programmes should be measured not simply by the number of bank accounts opened or devices distributed, but by sustained income generation, business survival and increased decision-making power among beneficiaries.
He further urged government to incorporate economic recovery pathways into Nigeria’s response to gender-based violence, ensuring that survivors who seek help are connected to legal services, healthcare, counselling, safe accommodation, skills acquisition and responsible financial services.

He also called on financial institutions, employers, technology firms and civil society organisations to strengthen support systems for survivors.
He said banks should develop trauma-informed procedures for customers experiencing economic abuse, while employers should adopt confidential workplace support mechanisms and emergency leave policies for affected staff.

Technology companies, he added, should invest in privacy-preserving digital solutions, while civil society organisations should continue educating women on their legal rights and available support services.

He further urged government to address structural barriers, including unequal access to productive assets, limited credit opportunities, insecure employment, inadequate childcare support and digital exclusion.

He argued that a national strategy to combat gender-based violence would remain incomplete if it failed to incorporate economic resilience as a core component.

“A woman is not fully protected if she is physically removed from danger but economically compelled to return. Freedom becomes more sustainable when safety, justice and economic agency work together,” he said.