Use of gender-based laws for political persecution and social manipulation (1), by Duru Sandra Chidinma, PhD
Abstract
In recent decades, gender-based laws have been instrumental in addressing the systemic inequalities and violence historically faced by women. However, emerging evidence from political, legal, and social spheres suggests that these well-intentioned policies are increasingly vulnerable to manipulation. This thesis explores the growing trend of gender policy weaponisation, where gender-based laws are deliberately exploited to persecute, discredit, and silence men, particularly in politically charged environments.
Drawing from legal case studies, expert interviews, and policy analysis within Nigeria and selected African contexts, this research interrogates how men have become collateral damage in the gender justice movement, often with no institutional mechanisms for recourse. It critically examines the absence of a gender-balanced policy architecture and the failure of current administrative frameworks to protect the rights and dignity of falsely accused or marginalised men.
This study advances a bold policy recommendation: the establishment of a Federal Ministry of Men’s Affairs as a strategic intervention to ensure gender equity is not weaponised but ethically enforced. It calls for the implementation of a Gender-Neutral Accountability Framework that ensures all citizens, regardless of gender are protected against injustice, manipulation, and policy abuse.
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By challenging one-sided policy narratives and advocating for inclusive protection, this thesis contributes to the growing discourse on ethical governance, gender justice, and the reform of public administration systems to reflect the complexities of modern gender relations. The research ultimately positions men’s unheard screams as a vital component of human rights, democratic integrity, and balanced public policy.
Introduction
In the past three decades, there has been a global shift towards promoting gender equity through robust policy frameworks aimed at correcting historical injustices, especially those faced by women. These laws and administrative instruments have led to remarkable progress in empowering women, amplifying their voices, and institutionalising mechanisms to protect them from gender-based violence, workplace discrimination, and socio-political marginalisation. However, alongside these gains has emerged a troubling trend: the manipulation and weaponisation of gender-based laws for personal, political, and social persecution, particularly against men.
In many contemporary African societies, including Nigeria, there is a growing pattern in which gender-sensitive policies are co-opted as tools for silencing dissent, executing political vendettas, or engineering public disgrace—often without due process. False accusations of domestic violence, sexual misconduct, or gender-based harassment have been increasingly utilised to discredit male opponents in political, academic, or corporate spaces. These incidents are often amplified by sensational media coverage, creating a presumption of guilt before investigation.
The consequences for accused men are severe: reputational ruin, job loss, emotional trauma, social ostracisation, and, in many cases, a lifetime of stigma.
Despite this emerging crisis, public administration frameworks have largely failed to provide institutional support for male victims of gender policy abuse. The dominant gender justice narrative often excludes or delegitimises male experiences of victimisation, leading to systemic bias, administrative silence, and a dangerous lack of legal recourse.
This research challenges the unbalanced approach in gender policy formulation and implementation and calls for an urgent reevaluation of the frameworks that claim to protect, but sometimes persecute, under the guise of justice.
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While gender-based policies are essential for achieving equity, they are increasingly being misused as instruments of political persecution and social manipulation. Men who are falsely accused of gender-based offences often face institutionalised neglect, public defamation, and administrative bias. The existing public policy architecture in Nigeria, and much of Africa, lacks specific mechanisms to investigate, mitigate, or reverse the weaponisation of gender laws. There is no federal or state institution solely dedicated to protecting the rights and dignity of men in these contexts. This vacuum perpetuates a gender justice imbalance and creates fertile ground for policy abuse.
The problem is two-fold: first, the unchecked weaponisation of gender laws undermines the credibility and effectiveness of genuine gender justice efforts. Second, it exposes a glaring administrative gap where male voices, especially those falsely accused are rendered invisible or vilified. Without urgent intervention, this trend will erode public trust in gender-sensitive legislation and compromise the integrity of public administration systems.
To be continued…
Dr DURU Sandra Chidinma, a Nigerian Scholar.
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