On Tuesday 22nd August 2006, history was made by the Nigerian Senate
following its first reading of an Executive Bill for the domestication of the
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW).
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
On Tuesday 22nd August 2006,
history was made by the Nigerian Senate following its first reading of an
Executive Bill for the domestication of the Convention on the Elimination of all
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The development is indeed a
milestone considering the 21 years of tireless sensitization, social and
legislative advocacy by relevant stakeholders in Nigeria’s human and women’s
rights community in close consort with the Nigeria’s Gender machinery, (even
before the establishment of the Women’s Commission and later the Federal
Ministry of Women Affairs) the Justice Ministry and Development
Partners.
Nigeria signed the United Nations CEDAW Convention in 1984 and
ratified same in 1985. Furthermore, Nigeria signed and ratified the Optional
Protocol to CEDAW in 2000 and 2004 respectively thereby consolidating its
commitment to the obligations of the Treaty. However, and even though Nigeria
has shown a sustained compliance with the provisions of Article 18 of the CEDAW
Convention in submitting the statutory periodic reports, its failure to
domesticate the Convention has remained a source of concern on the extent of its
commitment to women’s rights protection. As a leading African State Party to the
Convention, domestication is not only long over due but its absence is no longer
tenable given the costly implications it has to the image and opportunities of
support for Nigeria at the UN and other international fora.
The First
Reading was witnessed by the Hon. Minister for Women Affairs Hajiya Inna Maryam
Ciroma and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Safiya Muhammaed Iliyasu representatives
of Development Partners, including OSIWA, the main sponsors of the CIRDDOC CEDAW
Domestication Project, National Democratic Institute (NDI), National Human
Rights Commission, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Global Rights,
and UNICEF. NGOs represented were WRAPA, CIRDDOC and CISLAC. The Bill has been
sent to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration. CIRDDOC and
WRAPA are making contact with the Committee to identify ways in which civil
society organizations may input in the Committee processes.
Once we
ascertain the work plan of the Committee especially dates and venue of
consideration, you shall be informed of the Public Hearing on the Bill. Please
lobby your contacts at the National Assembly to support the Committee work and
the eventual passage of the Bill. CIRDDOC and WRAPA are still working hard to
get the Bill listed for hearing at the House of Representatives.
Thanks
to Saudatu Mahdi and WRAPA for mobilising and facilitating attendance of
stakeholders to the Senate Hearing. Thanks also to Rafsanjani Awwal Musa for
assisting with all the groundwork. Finally, it is instructive to commend the
Senate and its leadership for this development which is an opportunity to have
the name of this legislature written in gold for fast tracking the domestication
of CEDAW in Nigeria.
The struggle continues!!!
Oby Nwankwo
Saudatu Mahdi
CIRDDOC WRAPA
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