Different points of view have been projected by scholars with regard to the role culture and religious beliefs play when it comes to women empowerment against cultural traditions that are not constructive. Many of these practices, defended in the name of tradition, that impinge on human rights are gender specific; they preserve patriarchy at the expense of women's rights. The girl child often faces discrimination from the earliest stages of life, through childhood and into adulthood. These

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... ral traditions among others are responsible for the physical and psychological underdevelopment of women and the girl-child and that in turn affects their input in the development of their nation. There are catalogue of traditional practices in Nigeria which include, girl-child marriages, educational backwardness, widowhood rituals, spousal abuse, irresponsible divorce, male-child preference, female circumcision among others. The need to transform cultural beliefs that perpetuate violence against women can never be over emphasized. These practices constitute violence against women and as such must be treated as a national crisis. There can be no justice, development nor democracy if violence against women is seen accepted. The paper's aim is to seek ways of utilizing tradition (religion and culture) in achieving women's equality and empowerment as stated in UN Sustainable Development Goal. Hence, the paper reviews the challenges of traditional practices and examines the possibilities available for women empowerment by utilising religious and positive cultural practices. This is done through eliminating traditional practices detrimental to female empowerment while the positive elements of the tradition are retained.