It has now been revealed that some men and women exchanged sex for food during the COVID-19-induced lockdown. Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of its 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Samson Ayokunle urged President Muhammadu Buhari to prioritise investment in food production to reduce hunger and fast-track economic well-being of the people, especially women and girls.
According to him, rather than pay lip service to women emancipation, the government should focus on practical means to address their economic and social needs in safe spaces free of violence and abuse.
Ayokunle said,
Economic challenges during the COVID-19 outbreak posed a serious threat to young women’s work and business activity and exposed them to increased risk of exploitation and abuse.
We observed that higher levels of food insecurity and hunger led women and men to exchange food for sex.
