Weaponizing Policy: The Use of Gender-Based Laws for Political Persecution and Social Manipulation

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Gender-based laws, while designed to protect women from historical and systemic injustices, are increasingly being exploited in some political and personal contexts to target men unjustly. From false accusations of abuse and harassment to manipulated custody battles and media-led defamation campaigns, men are becoming vulnerable to policy misuse with little or no institutional recourse.

“Weaponizing Policy: The Use of Gender-Based Laws for Political Persecution and Social Manipulation – A Case for Institutional Protection of Men’s Rights in Public Administration” investigates how such weaponization occurs within public administration and legal frameworks and argues for the urgent creation of a Federal Ministry of Men’s Affairs to balance gender equity and justice.

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 weaponization, 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 marginalized men.

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