Uluba Begins Guinness World Record Attempt to Raise Awareness of SGBV Laws in Africa
Olubunmi Uluba, a prosecutor of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases, has launched a Guinness World Record attempt aimed at increasing public awareness of laws protecting victims and survivors of SGBV across Africa.
The initiative involves a planned 220-hour public reading of SGBV laws from Nigeria and 15 other African countries, covering about nine days.
Uluba said her experience working with victims and survivors, and witnessing the trauma caused by SGBV, motivated her to undertake the initiative.
She identified limited knowledge of SGBV laws as a major challenge, noting that the problem affects not only members of the public but also some actors within the justice system.
According to her, the record attempt is not primarily about setting a world record but about using the platform to educate the public and draw attention to existing legal protections.
She said the initiative would help people understand their legal rights and become more familiar with laws addressing sexual and gender-based violence in different African countries.
Dialogue to Follow Record Attempt
Uluba said the initiative would continue after the record attempt through a stakeholder dialogue.
The post-event discussion is expected to bring together justice-sector officials, policymakers, advocates and other stakeholders to review lessons from the exercise and identify areas where laws, policies and institutional responses to SGBV can be improved.
She said recommendations from the dialogue could help strengthen existing systems for preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence.
UN Women Calls for Greater Legal Awareness
The UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, also stressed the importance of public knowledge of laws against SGBV.
Eyong said people cannot effectively claim rights they are unaware of, while government officials and other duty bearers also need sufficient knowledge of existing laws to implement them properly.
She said stronger understanding of the legal framework would help ensure that victims and survivors receive appropriate protection and that institutions responsible for enforcing the laws can perform their duties effectively.
SGBV Affects Families and the Economy
Eyong described gender-based violence as a wider societal issue that goes beyond the home or social sphere.
She said SGBV affects families, communities and economic development, making it an issue that requires collective action.
She also noted that efforts to tackle SGBV concern both women and men and called for greater public awareness and stronger implementation of existing laws.
The initiative led by Uluba seeks to combine legal education with advocacy by making SGBV laws more accessible to the public and encouraging discussions on how they can be better implemented.
For Uluba, the Guinness World Record attempt is therefore not simply a bid to set a record but an opportunity to increase awareness, promote legal education and contribute to stronger responses to sexual and gender-based violence across Africa.
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