Where the Water Meets Survival: UNFPA’s Response in Makoko

The wooden stilts creak as families step out onto narrow planks above the lagoon. Canoes glide between homes. Smoke rises from small cooking fires. Beneath the rhythm of daily life, however, lies a silent emergency—overcrowding, unsafe childbirth conditions, and rising risks of gender-based violence for the most vulnerable, particularly women and girls.

Makoko, a historic waterside fishing community in Lagos, Nigeria, is often referred to as the “Venice of Africa” for its iconic stilt houses and canoe-based lifestyle. It is home to over 50,000 residents, with a community well organized into six villages—four floating villages (Adogbo, Migbewhe, Oko Agbon, Yanshiwhe) and two land-based ones (Apollo, Sogunro). 

Despite its cultural significance, Makoko has long been one of Lagos’s most disadvantaged settlements, grappling with inadequate housing, sanitation, and basic services. Over the years, the Lagos State Government has attempted to relocate residents on water to safer alternative fishing communities, but this was met with resistance by the community. Subsequently demolitions took place in 2005, 2012, and most recently in 2026 resulting in new displacements.  

UNFPA, as part of the UN Interagency Response Team (UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP and UN Habitat) swiftly stepped in to promote and protect the rights and well-being of the displaced populations by addressing the immediate pressing concerns on health, dignity, and resilience for the residents. 

Engaging with Makoko youths, women and community leaders, a Gender Based Violence (GBV) Audit and Risk Assessment to inform its response was undertaken. It revealed heightened vulnerability of women and children to GBV and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) - exposure to sexual violence, exploitation, intimate partner violence, and harassment, particularly at night and in overcrowded or open spaces. Women and girls reported fear of assault while sleeping outdoors, using unsafe waterways, or accessing basic services such as water and sanitation. 

Economic disruption resulting from the demolition, increased dependency, negative coping mechanisms, and transactional sex risks. For adolescent girls, risks were compounded by disrupted education, limited access to menstrual hygiene materials, and the absence of safe spaces. Persons with disabilities and pregnant women were highlighted as particularly underserved, facing mobility barriers and exclusion from relief and protection services.  

The assessment also revealed the weak capacity of the health systems to respond to GBV, SEA and its consequences. Despite these observations, the assessment highlighted strong community resilience and willingness to engage in protection solutions including immediate shelter support, improved lighting, safe water access, community-based protection mechanisms and the presence of trained GBV responders.

Building resilience

In response, UNFPA collaborated with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board and Health districts to  strengthen the capacity of 24 Health workers across the 6 communities on Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP), GBV Case Management, Clinical Management of Rape (CMR), Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)  and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH). An additional twenty (20) community volunteers were trained on GBV awareness and referral pathway. 

The training capacitated the health system and community in a sustainable way for resilience purposes. The training had an immediate impact with the community volunteers having already initiated GBV and SEA awareness creation activities and having so far reached 1,500 women and girls with information. Outreach to communities included distribution of dignity kits, referrals for the most vulnerable women and girls, provision of reproductive health kits to the health system. An increase in reported cases has been noted, with one case already referred to the courts. 

The response in Makoko continues to ensure the establishment of temporary safe spaces for women and girls, strengthening GBV and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) service mapping and referral pathways, deploying mobile GBV and health services, integrating disability-inclusive approaches, and engaging community leaders in prevention and risk mitigation.

For UNFPA, humanitarian response is not just about survival—it is about restoring dignity, agency, and future opportunities.