HEALTH PROMOTION STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING GENDER- BASED VIOLENCE AGAINST ADOLESCENTS IN NIGERIA

Gender- based violence is fundamentally, a violation of human rights.It is progressively oppressive systemic violence human rights. GBV affects both male and female gender more especially girls and young women more than boys. It occurs in all parts of the globe, cutting across all economic and social groups. This paper therefore, examined gender- based violence against adolescents in Nigeria. It elaborated factors that promulgatethis oppressive form of gender inequality which include: cultural practices, patriarchal systems that seek to control the lives and sexuality of girls, emergencies circumstances and societal norms. It also pointed out likely places of GBVoccurrences, its agonizing effects on adolescents and the prevailing circumstances in Nigeria. Salutogenic theory was deemed appropriate for the study. The study concluded that every girl and boy deserve to grow up free from harm and violence as GBV will effectively exacerbate their life cycles and continually risk their futures if un-halted. Thus, health promotion strategies were recommended as a way of reducing gender- based violence against adolescents in Nigeria.