Gendered Dimensions of Armed Banditry-Induced Conflict in Nigeria

Policy Context

The growth of Northwest Nigeria’s armed banditry-induced conflict, which stems from the farmer-herder crisis, places women and girls in the region at risk of kidnapping, theft, exploitation, and sexual violence. Between 2011 and 2019, 8,000 people in Northwest Nigeria were killed and as of December 2022, more than 1 million people had been displaced in the region as a result of armed banditry-induced conflict. The research team will examine how forced displacement in fragile settings caused by armed conflict affects women and girls, including the consequences on their socio-economic development.

Study Design

This study will employ a cross-sectional study design to evaluate how conflict has affected women and girls’ income, access to health, access to education, and experience with forced marriage. The research team will survey 2,246 women and girls, which equates to 562 people in each of the four Nigerian states most affected by the conflict: Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara.  Within each state, the sample will include 281 women and girls residing in internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps and the remaining 281 from communities that have not been affected by conflict. As part of this study, the team will also assess how effectively the existing evidence-based policy responses address sexual and gender-based violence arising from this conflict.

Results and Policy Lessons

Results forthcoming.