Displaying 37251 - 37275 of 58126 recommendations found
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State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:BelarusBelarusRegional groupEEGPolitical groupCISIssue:
- Trafficking in women and / or girls
Type:RecommendationSession:4th session, February 2009Status:AcceptedContents:Continue its targeted efforts to combat trafficking in persons, above all women and young girls.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 68) The Government has established a National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) with a mandate to combat human trafficking, protect, assist and give vocational training to trafficked persons.
Para 69) Government has also taken preventive measures against human trafficking through public enlightenment campaigns involving the Police, NAPTIP, some diplomatic missions, State governments, NGOs and other stakeholders. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:ParaguayParaguayRegional groupGRULACPolitical groupOASOEIIssue:
- Harmful practices based on cultural / traditional values
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:AcceptedContents:Step up efforts aimed at eliminating harmful cultural practices, which hamper the full respect for the human rights of women.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 26) Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution protects the dignity of human person by stating that every individual is entitled to respect to the dignity of his or her person and accordingly no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. Nigeria has implemented this recommendation through the enactment of the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015(VAPPA). This Act eliminates violence in private and public life; prohibit all forms of violence including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic violence; harmful traditional practices; discrimination against persons and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
Para 38) Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution protects the dignity of human person by stating that every individual is entitled to respect to the dignity of his or her person and accordingly no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. In addition, the following legislative measures aim at combating harmful cultural practices. Legislative measures: (a) Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015; (b) … (d) Prohibition of Child trafficking by the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2015;
Para 98) The challenges contained in the second cycle UPR report remain the same, though the current federal and state governments are working very hard to overcome these challenges and several reforms and initiatives are yielding positive results. Some of the main challenges are: … (e) Difficulties in breaking through entrenched mind set on harmful traditional practices affecting the human rights of women and children.
UN Compilation:
Para 8) Referring to the relevant recommendations from the previous review, the United Nations country team stated that Nigeria had given effect to some of its treaty obligations by adopting … the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015).
Para 48) [CEDAW] was also concerned that no specific measures had been taken to eradicate polygamous relationships.
Para 65) The Special Rapporteurs on health, on sale of children and on slavery noted that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited all forms of violence and criminalized marital rape, female genital mutilation, forceful ejection from home and harmful widowhood practices. The Special Rapporteurs recommended that Nigeria ensure that the Act was adopted in those states that had yet to do so.
Para 67) Referring to the relevant recommendations from the previous review, the United Nations country team stated that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited female genital mutilation, which had been banned in 12 of the 36 states. The country team considered the implementation of those recommendations to be ongoing.
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State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:CanadaCanadaRegional groupWEOGPolitical groupOASOIFCommonwealthIssue:
- Early marriage
- Harmful practices based on cultural / traditional values
- Forced marriage
Type:RecommendationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:AcceptedContents:Urgently address child, early and forced marriage by putting in place legislation that clarifies the legal age for marriage, honouring commitments made in the country's last UPR to prevent and eliminate the practice.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 40) … d) The Launch of a Campaign to End Child Marriage in Nigeria and a National Strategy to End Child Marriage in Nigeria 2017-2021.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 88) JS12 expressed concern about the high rates of child marriage and the need to address the underlying factors that contributed to early marriage. JS16 stated that state legislation on the minimum age of marriage varied from state to state.
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State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:UruguayUruguayRegional groupGRULACPolitical groupOASOEIIssue:
- Birth registration
Type:RecommendationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:AcceptedContents:Step up efforts to guarantee free and compulsory birth registration for all children via public awareness-raising campaign on the importance of the registration of births. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:CzechiaCzechiaRegional groupEEGPolitical groupEUIssue:
- Criminal laws on same-sex sexual practices
Type:RecommendationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:RejectedContents:Revise laws discriminating against LGBTI persons, including refraining from signing into law any new legislation criminalizing LGBTIs.ImplementationStakeholder Summary:
Para 10) JS8 stated that … Nigeria had continued to allow the violation of the rights of the LGBT population, despite its obligations to protect those rights arising from several international human rights conventions to which it was a party.
Para 11) JS5 recalled that Nigeria had not supported any of the recommendations from the previous review that inter alia related to the repealing of those laws that discriminated based on sexual orientation and gender identity.16 Certain provisions in the Criminal Code, Penal Code and the National Law and Drug Enforcement Act had disproportionately affected gay men, … The Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act had negative consequences beyond the deprivation of marriage rights for gay men and women. JS5 stated that, under Sharia law the penalty for homosexuality was death. The Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015, had done little to protect gay men, female sex workers and intravenous drug users as vulnerable populations. AFA stated that the Act was yet to be incorporated into domestic legislation in all states.
Para 12) JS8 stated that expansive provisions of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act had served to codify homophobia and transphobia. JS12 stated that the Act, which generally criminalized same sex relationships, had created additional criminal offences that targeted persons based on their sexual orientation. JS8 stated that the Act had effectively legalized discrimination and had allowed people to act with impunity. Since its enactment there had been an increase in crimes and human rights violations against LGBT persons and their defenders. JS13 stated that the Act and other discriminatory laws had been used to subject the LGBT community to violations including invasion of privacy, assault and battery, black mail and extortion, denial of access to amenities and education.
Para 13) Referring to a relevant study, JS12 noted a significant increase in fear in seeking healthcare services by men who had sex with men after the enactment of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act (2014). JS13 stated that sections 5(2) and (3) of the Act had hindered access to Anti-Retroviral Vaccines, HIV testing and counselling services. JS8 stated that LGBT persons had experienced difficulties in accessing health care services. The denial of such services would have a negative impact on Nigeria’s progress towards HIV eradication.
Para 15) JS5 stated that gay men, … had experienced significant discrimination, influenced by traditional culture as well as religious moral values.
Para 64) JS13 stated that LGBT persons had been subjected to forced, violent and arbitrary evictions.
Para 75) JS8 stated that homophobic bullying in schools had proven to be a serious impairment to adequate access to education. There had also been a failure to provide comprehensive and inclusive education on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
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State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Sexual exploitation / slavery
- Trafficking in women and / or girls
Type:Review DocumentationSession:16th session, May 2013Status:Reference AddressedContents:CRC urged Nigeria to (a) protect children from trafficking and sale; (b) improve the situation of children who were at risk, especially girls; and (c) investigate and prosecute alleged perpetrators. [Para 31] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:Stakeholder SummaryIssue:
- Sexual exploitation / slavery
Type:Review DocumentationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:NeglectedContents:JS7 stated that all applicable laws should incorporate a definition of child prostitution in line with article 2 of OP-CRC-SC, and should be applicable to all girls and boys under the age of 18 years. [Para 14] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:National ReportIssue:
- Harmful practices based on cultural / traditional values
Type:Review DocumentationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:N/AContents:Some of the challenges and constraints in promoting and protecting human rights are: e) Difficulties in breaking through entrenched mindsets on harmful traditional practices. [Para 121] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:AlgeriaAlgeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICALIssue:
- International human rights instruments
- Gender equality
Type:RecommendationSession:4th session, February 2009Status:AcceptedContents:Pursue its efforts in order to incorporate the provisions of CEDAW in its national law.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 24) The executive arm of government has engaged with the Principal Officers of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly with a view to accelerating the process of passing into law all human rights-based bills.
Para 25) The Government is making efforts to ensure the enactment into law pending human rights related bills before the National Assembly within the tenure of this administration as a demonstration of its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria.
UN Compilation:
Para 3) In 2012, Nigeria reported in follow-up to the concluding observations of CEDAW, that the Convention was yet to be incorporated into national law, but that there were ongoing consultative efforts to pave the way for such incorporation.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 1) NHRC stated that since its Universal Period Review, Nigeria has acceded to and/or ratified key human rights instruments. However, most of these treaties were yet to be enacted into domestic legislation.
Para 12) HRAN referred to those recommendations in paragraph 103.2 of the Report and stated that a number of human rights bills including the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill ... remained pending before the National Assembly.
Para 15) DD stated that Nigeria was a party to ... CEDAW but that those instruments were yet to be incorporated into national law. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:National ReportIssue:
- Rights of same-sex desiring persons
Type:Review DocumentationSession:4th session, February 2009Status:N/AContents:Sexual minorities are not visible in Nigeria, and there is no officially registered association of gay and lesbians. No sexual minority or their representatives attended the Forum. However, in spite of this the issue was brought up at the Forum, and the views of more than 90 per cent of the participants was that Gay-Lesbian relationship or same-sex marriage was not a human rights issue in Nigeria. The laws of Nigeria recognize marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. However, like every democracy, those who want a change in the existing laws have to come out and lobby for the change they desire. [Para 76] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Gender equality
Type:Review DocumentationSession:4th session, February 2009Status:NeglectedContents:CERD remained concerned that members of ethnic communities of the Muslim faith, in particular, Muslim women, could be subjected to harsher sentences than other Nigerians. [Para 17] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:Stakeholder SummaryIssue:
- International human rights instruments
- Gender equality
Type:Review DocumentationSession:4th session, February 2009Status:Reference AddressedContents:Nigeria's CSO Coalition on the Universal Periodic Review joint submission indicated that Nigeria has neither "domesticated" CEDAW nor implemented the Beijing Platform for Action ... [Para 2] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:Stakeholder SummaryIssue:
- Maternal health / morbidity / mortality
Type:Review DocumentationSession:4th session, February 2009Status:NeglectedContents:It also indicated that the risks of maternal death are even greater for Nigerian women in the northern region of the country, for rural women, low income women and women without formal education; the majority of these deaths being preventable. NHRC expressed similar concerns. [Para 50] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:ItalyItalyRegional groupWEOGPolitical groupEUIssue:
- Intersex persons' rights
- Women's and / or girls' rights
- Rights of same-sex desiring persons
- Transgender persons' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:Unclear ResponseContents:Adopt measures to combat all forms of discrimination, especially against women and LGBTI persons.ExplanationNoted. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:NetherlandsNetherlandsRegional groupWEOGPolitical groupEUIssue:
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:AcceptedContents:Prioritize the full and effective implementation and reinforcement of international human rights instruments, such as the CEDAW by using domestic mechanisms, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:GabonGabonRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICOIFIssue:
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
Type:RecommendationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:AcceptedContents:Ensure greater access to justice for women and girls who are victims of violence. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:DjiboutiDjiboutiRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICALOIFIssue:
- Gender equality
Type:RecommendationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:AcceptedContents:Continue and strengthen measures to ensure equal access to quality education for all, especially for girls. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:NorwayNorwayRegional groupWEOGIssue:
- Harmful practices based on cultural / traditional values
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
- Sexual violence
- Women's and / or girls' rights
- Sexual and / or reproductive rights and / or health broadly
Type:RecommendationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:AcceptedContents:Protect and promote the rights of women and girls, including by enhancing reproductive health, ending harmful traditional practices and take concrete measures against sexual and gender-based violence. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:KenyaKenyaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUCommonwealthIssue:
- Early marriage
Type:RecommendationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:AcceptedContents:Continue with the legal, administrative and policy measures to completely eradicate early child marriages. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:GermanyGermanyRegional groupWEOGPolitical groupEUIssue:
- HIV and AIDS
Type:RecommendationSession:4th session, February 2009Status:AcceptedContents:Increase its efforts to raise awareness of and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and provide adequate treatment and alternative care opportunities for children.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 108) In the area of HIV/AIDS control:
a) The Federal Government in 2012 signed the implementation plan for the framework partnership with the United States Government and commenced the decentralization of ART services to the primary health care level. The Ministry of Health is an implementing partner under the Global Funds Round 8. Under this grant, PHC health workers are being trained on voluntary counseling and testing, prescription and administration of anti-retroviral drugs and general care of persons living with HIV/AIDS.
b) In the same vein, the Primary Health Care is domiciled in the agency. The project is a vehicle designed to take HIV/AIDS control to PHCs across the country. Health facilities that are not being covered under the GLOBAL fund project are being covered by the PHAID project. Recently PHC staff in 18 States of the Federation were trained on various aspects of HIV/AIDS management (data management, laboratory diagnosis, integrated supportive supervision, management of opportunistic infections associated with HIV).
c) In July 2013 (15th-16th), the Federal Republic of Nigeria hosted the Abuja and 12 special summit of the African Union on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria where President Goodluck Jonathan launched the President's Comprehensive Response Plan (PCRP), increasing domestic funding to accelerate the implementation of key interventions with respect to HIV/AIDS. -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:Review DocumentationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:Reference AddressedContents:[CEDAW] recommended reviewing the Land Use Act (1990), the Land Administration Act (1978) and related land laws and repealing any provisions that prevented women’s access to land. [Para 73] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:UN CompilationIssue:
- Polygamy
Type:Review DocumentationSession:31st Session, November 2018Status:Not Followed up with a RecommendationContents:CEDAW recommended that Nigeria prohibit and eliminate ... polygamy. [Para 71] -
State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:IrelandIrelandRegional groupWEOGPolitical groupEUIssue:
- Harmful practices based on cultural / traditional values
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
- Female genital mutilation / cutting
Type:RecommendationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:AcceptedContents:Introduce laws against female genital mutilation in all states, takes steps to ensure access to justice for women who are victims of violence; and that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Bill is passed by the Senate.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 24) Nigeria had enacted the following laws to incorporate the international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party: (a) Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 (VAPP);
Para 26) Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution protects the dignity of human person by stating that every individual is entitled to respect to the dignity of his or her person and accordingly no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. Nigeria has implemented this recommendation through the enactment of the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015(VAPPA). This Act eliminates violence in private and public life; prohibit all forms of violence including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic violence; harmful traditional practices; discrimination against persons and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
Para 27) The Constitution guarantees access to justice for everyone, and provides for pro bono legal assistance to indigent persons in the enforcement of their fundamental rights. VAPPA is already a law that is being implemented in Nigeria. This law provides access to justice for women who are victims of violence, ensures that perpetrators of the crime are punished and remedies are provided to the victims and those affected.
Para 38) Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution protects the dignity of human person by stating that every individual is entitled to respect to the dignity of his or her person and accordingly no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. In addition, the following legislative measures aim at combating harmful cultural practices. Legislative measures: (a) Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015;
Para 64) Section 42 of the Constitution guarantees and protects the rights of women from discrimination. Under section 46 (1) of the Constitution, women who are victims of violence and discrimination may apply to a High Court for redress by way of fundamental rights enforcement proceedings in the event of the application of any law that allows violence and discrimination against them. In addition, government enacted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
Para 65) The Act seeks to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices, discriminations against persons and to provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders. Under the ACJA, women can now stand as sureties for any applicant or defendant for the purpose of admitting the person to bail. Hitherto this was not possible.
UN Compilation:
Para 8) Referring to the relevant recommendations from the previous review, the United Nations country team stated that Nigeria had given effect to some of its treaty obligations by adopting … the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015).
Para 35) … CEDAW remained concerned at reports that access to justice for women was often impeded by insufficient budget allocations for legal aid, alleged corruption and stereotyping within the judiciary.
Para 65) The Special Rapporteurs on health, on sale of children and on slavery noted that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited all forms of violence and criminalized marital rape, female genital mutilation, forceful ejection from home and harmful widowhood practices. The Special Rapporteurs recommended that Nigeria ensure that the Act was adopted in those states that had yet to do so.
Para 67) Referring to the relevant recommendations from the previous review, the United Nations country team stated that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited female genital mutilation, which had been banned in 12 of the 36 states. The country team considered the implementation of those recommendations to be ongoing.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 77) Referring to relevant supported recommendations from the previous review, JS1 stated that in 2015, the laws on gender-based violence had been consolidated into the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, which broadly covers physical, psychological, economic, and sexual violence, including rape, as well as harmful traditional practices. However, the Act was only in force in the federal capital and that several states did not have specific laws prohibiting sexual and gender based violence. Moreover, Section 55 of the Penal Code, which was in force in the North, specifically allowed husbands to discipline their wives.
Para 78) WRAHP stated that domestic violence and gender-based violence had been on an increase and that the relevant authorities had not given adequate attention to the issue. JS16 stated that domestic violence remained underreported for reasons that included the existence of a culture of silence and the turning away of victims at police stations on the grounds that such a matter was a family affair.
Para 80) PRAWA stated that female genital mutilation was a common practice in many states in Nigeria. Such a practice was an abuse of the rights of victims to reproductive health and in severe cases could lead to their death. The Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015) recognizes female genital mutilation as an offence. However, according to PJ, the legislation had not been effectively implemented. JS10 stated that there had been a low rate of prosecution for alleged acts of female genital mutilation.
Para 83) CITAD expressed concern by the persistent threats, harassments, intimidations and attacks on women internet users. It expressed alarm by the failure of the government to protect women from gender-based violence on line.
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State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:BeninBeninRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICOIFIssue:
- Gender equality
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
Type:RecommendationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:AcceptedContents:Step up actions to tackle violence and discrimination against women.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 24) Nigeria had enacted the following laws to incorporate the international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party: (a) Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 (VAPP);
Para 38) Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution protects the dignity of human person by stating that every individual is entitled to respect to the dignity of his or her person and accordingly no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. In addition, the following legislative measures aim at combating harmful cultural practices. Legislative measures: (a) Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015;
Para 64) Section 42 of the Constitution guarantees and protects the rights of women from discrimination. Under section 46 (1) of the Constitution, women who are victims of violence and discrimination may apply to a High Court for redress by way of fundamental rights enforcement proceedings in the event of the application of any law that allows violence and discrimination against them. In addition, government enacted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
Para 65) The Act seeks to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices, discriminations against persons and to provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders. Under the ACJA, women can now stand as sureties for any applicant or defendant for the purpose of admitting the person to bail. Hitherto this was not possible.
UN Compilation:
Para 8) Referring to the relevant recommendations from the previous review, the United Nations country team stated that Nigeria had given effect to some of its treaty obligations by adopting … the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015).
Para 12) CEDAW expressed concern that the prohibition of discrimination in section 42 of the Constitution did not comprise a comprehensive definition of discrimination in line with article 1 of the CEDAW.
Para 46) CEDAW was concerned that, under section 26 (2) (a) of the Constitution, Nigerian women married to foreign men could not transmit their nationality to their husbands, unlike Nigerian men married to foreign women. It was also concerned that section 29 (4) (b) on citizenship renunciation legitimized child marriage, as it recognized any woman who was married to be of full age for the purposes of renunciation of citizenship.
Para 47) CEDAW was concerned that while sections 218 and 357 of the Criminal Code protected girls under 13 years of age from forced sexual intercourse, section 6 excluded the applicability of those provisions to girls of the same age in customary law marriages.
Para 48) [CEDAW] was also concerned that no specific measures had been taken to eradicate polygamous relationships.
Para 49) [CEDAW] remained concerned about discriminatory provisions in the Labour Act (1990), the Factories Act (1987) and the Police Regulations (1968), which prohibited the employment of women in night work and the recruitment of married women to the police and required women police officers to make a written request for permission to marry.
Para 65) The Special Rapporteurs on health, on sale of children and on slavery noted that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited all forms of violence and criminalized marital rape, female genital mutilation, forceful ejection from home and harmful widowhood practices. The Special Rapporteurs recommended that Nigeria ensure that the Act was adopted in those states that had yet to do so.
Para 67) Referring to the relevant recommendations from the previous review, the United Nations country team stated that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited female genital mutilation, which had been banned in 12 of the 36 states. The country team considered the implementation of those recommendations to be ongoing.
Para 69) UNFPA stated that the humanitarian emergency in insurgency-affected states in north-east Nigeria had significantly impacted on the lives of women and girls with increased displacement, threats of and exposure to gender-based violence, challenges obtaining and utilizing life-saving services and rising incidence of domestic violence. The Government had established a gender-based violence coordination mechanism to address those issues.
Para 70) The Special Rapporteurs on health, on sale of children and on slavery stated that, while all women and girls who experienced sexual violence during the insurgency faced stigmatization, the stigma and rejection from families and communities was greater for those who were perceived to have been associated with Boko Haram as abductees, those living in Boko Haram controlled areas or those who had been compelled and forced to become “wives” of Boko Haram insurgents. Often referred to by communities as “Boko Haram wives” or “Sambisa women”, they were shunned and marginalized, even in camps for internally displaced persons.
Para 72) [CEDAW] was concerned that section 55 of the Criminal Code permitted wife battery as chastisement as long as no grievous bodily harm was inflicted.
Para 73) [CEDAW] was concerned that women owned less than 7.2 per cent of the total land mass in Nigeria and that their land rights in rural areas were not guaranteed.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 76) JS15 stated that Nigeria had failed to address traditional practices that had hampered gender equality. Discrimination started even before the birth of a girl. Education of boys had been prioritised over that of girls and girls were denied the right to inherit property.
Para 77) Referring to relevant supported recommendations from the previous review, JS1 stated that in 2015, the laws on gender-based violence had been consolidated into the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, which broadly covers physical, psychological, economic, and sexual violence, including rape, as well as harmful traditional practices. However, the Act was only in force in the federal capital and that several states did not have specific laws prohibiting sexual and gender based violence. Moreover, Section 55 of the Penal Code, which was in force in the North, specifically allowed husbands to discipline their wives.
Para 78) WRAHP stated that domestic violence and gender-based violence had been on an increase and that the relevant authorities had not given adequate attention to the issue. JS16 stated that domestic violence remained underreported for reasons that included the existence of a culture of silence and the turning away of victims at police stations on the grounds that such a matter was a family affair.
Para 79) JS13 referred to relevant supported recommendations from the previous review and stated that although there had been enactment of progressive laws, harmful gender norms, cultural practices and discriminatory laws had persisted. In several communities, women had been barred from owning immovable property or from renting a house.
Para 83) CITAD expressed concern by the persistent threats, harassments, intimidations and attacks on women internet users. It expressed alarm by the failure of the government to protect women from gender-based violence on line.
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State Under Review:NigeriaNigeriaRegional groupAfrica GroupPolitical groupAUOICCommonwealthSource Of Reference:Holy SeeHoly SeeRegional groupObserverIssue:
- Maternal health / morbidity / mortality
- Harmful practices based on cultural / traditional values
- Sexual exploitation / slavery
- Violence against women / gender-based violence
- Female genital mutilation / cutting
- Sexual violence
- Domestic violence
- Women's and / or girls' rights
Type:RecommendationSession:17th session, November 2013Status:AcceptedContents:Ensure the protection of women's human rights by reducing and eliminating human trafficking, sexual violence and exploitation, domestic violence, maternal mortality, and female genital mutilation.ImplementationNational Report:
Para 24) Nigeria had enacted the following laws to incorporate the international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party: (a) Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 (VAPP);
Para 26) Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution protects the dignity of human person by stating that every individual is entitled to respect to the dignity of his or her person and accordingly no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. Nigeria has implemented this recommendation through the enactment of the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015(VAPPA). This Act eliminates violence in private and public life; prohibit all forms of violence including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic violence; harmful traditional practices; discrimination against persons and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
Para 38) Section 34 (1) (a) of the Constitution protects the dignity of human person by stating that every individual is entitled to respect to the dignity of his or her person and accordingly no person shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. In addition, the following legislative measures aim at combating harmful cultural practices. Legislative measures: (a) Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015;
Para 54) Government has the developed the National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) 2010-2015. … The only indicator of the first plan that was met in 2015 was the adolescent birth rate which dropped from 126/1000 to 74/1000 adolescent women.
Para 56) The second plan takes a more comprehensive, inclusive and the holistic approach. It is organized along five strategic pillars; … (ii) Increased Utilization of Essential Package of Health Care Services which covers RMNCAH …
Para 57) Further, to improve exclusive breast feeding rate, the Federal Ministry of Health is collaborating with Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to fast track the implementation of paid extension of paid maternity entitlement from 16weeks to 18weeks and continue advocacy to 24weeks (which is 6months) in line with the resolution of the 59 National Council on Health Resolution.
Para 64) Section 42 of the Constitution guarantees and protects the rights of women from discrimination. Under section 46 (1) of the Constitution, women who are victims of violence and discrimination may apply to a High Court for redress by way of fundamental rights enforcement proceedings in the event of the application of any law that allows violence and discrimination against them. In addition, government enacted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
Para 65) The Act seeks to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices, discriminations against persons and to provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders. Under the ACJA, women can now stand as sureties for any applicant or defendant for the purpose of admitting the person to bail. Hitherto this was not possible.
UN Compilation:
Para 42) CEDAW was concerned that Nigeria remained a source, transit and destination country for trafficking in persons, particularly women and girls, for purposes of sexual and labour exploitation.
Para 55) CEDAW noted with concern the high rate of maternal mortality, which was partly attributable to the lack of access to skilled midwives and the high number of unsafe abortions, which itself resulted from the restrictive laws that permitted abortions only in order to save a pregnant woman’s life. UNFPA stated that in 2017, the Government had pioneered an innovative initiative to scale up the capacity of midwives.
Para 65) The Special Rapporteurs on health, on sale of children and on slavery noted that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited all forms of violence and criminalized marital rape, female genital mutilation, forceful ejection from home and harmful widowhood practices. The Special Rapporteurs recommended that Nigeria ensure that the Act was adopted in those states that had yet to do so.
Para 67) Referring to the relevant recommendations from the previous review, the United Nations country team stated that the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act prohibited female genital mutilation, which had been banned in 12 of the 36 states. The country team considered the implementation of those recommendations to be ongoing.
Para 69) UNFPA stated that the humanitarian emergency in insurgency-affected states in north-east Nigeria had significantly impacted on the lives of women and girls with increased displacement, threats of and exposure to gender-based violence, challenges obtaining and utilizing life-saving services and rising incidence of domestic violence. The Government had established a gender-based violence coordination mechanism to address those issues.
Para 70) The Special Rapporteurs on health, on sale of children and on slavery stated that, while all women and girls who experienced sexual violence during the insurgency faced stigmatization, the stigma and rejection from families and communities was greater for those who were perceived to have been associated with Boko Haram as abductees, those living in Boko Haram controlled areas or those who had been compelled and forced to become “wives” of Boko Haram insurgents. Often referred to by communities as “Boko Haram wives” or “Sambisa women”, they were shunned and marginalized, even in camps for internally displaced persons.
Para 72) [CEDAW] was concerned that section 55 of the Criminal Code permitted wife battery as chastisement as long as no grievous bodily harm was inflicted.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 52) JS4 stated that Nigeria had been a source, transit and destination country for trafficking of children for sexual exploitation. Discussions had been ongoing among government ministries on the formulation of a new national action plan.
Para 53) JS15 stated that … girls were at risk of being trafficked to other parts of the country to work as “house-helps”.
Para 67) JS1 stated that maternal health remained underfunded. Since the Abuja Declaration in 2001, Nigeria had not attained the pledged funding benchmark of 15 percent of the annual budget.
Para 68) JS16 stated that there was a lack of access to adequate healthcare, family planning services, counselling and education for rural women. ADF stated that Nigeria must focus on helping women to get through pregnancy and childbirth safely. Women should be provided with access to knowledge-based education about their bodies, healthy behaviours and responsible decision-making.
Para 69) JS1 stated that the maternal mortality rate had remained high. Accessibility and availability of quality maternal health care had been impeded by the cost of services, the distance to health facilities, and the inadequate and long waiting times at public health facilities. JS10 stated that maternal health had become a major challenge for “community women” in the Niger Delta, who had depended on traditional birth attendants for maternity services. WRAHP stated that untrained traditional birth attendants were responsible for over 35 percent of the deliveries, which contributed to the high rates of maternal mortality.
Para 70) JS1 stated that women and girls in conflict zones had continued to face numerous reproductive rights violations, including child and forced marriage, sexual and gender based violence, unsafe abortions and lack of access to family planning information and services.
Para 71) JS1 stated that access to safe legal abortion and post-abortion care had remained lacking. Abortion laws had remained restrictive and had resulted in clandestine and unsafe abortions. Low contraceptive usage had been a leading and contributing factor to the high rates of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies.
Stakeholder Summary:
Para 77) Referring to relevant supported recommendations from the previous review, JS1 stated that in 2015, the laws on gender-based violence had been consolidated into the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, which broadly covers physical, psychological, economic, and sexual violence, including rape, as well as harmful traditional practices. However, the Act was only in force in the federal capital and that several states did not have specific laws prohibiting sexual and gender based violence. Moreover, Section 55 of the Penal Code, which was in force in the North, specifically allowed husbands to discipline their wives.
Para 78) WRAHP stated that domestic violence and gender-based violence had been on an increase and that the relevant authorities had not given adequate attention to the issue. JS16 stated that domestic violence remained underreported for reasons that included the existence of a culture of silence and the turning away of victims at police stations on the grounds that such a matter was a family affair.
Para 80) PRAWA stated that female genital mutilation was a common practice in many states in Nigeria. Such a practice was an abuse of the rights of victims to reproductive health and in severe cases could lead to their death. The Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act (2015) recognizes female genital mutilation as an offence. However, according to PJ, the legislation had not been effectively implemented. JS10 stated that there had been a low rate of prosecution for alleged acts of female genital mutilation.
Para 83) CITAD expressed concern by the persistent threats, harassments, intimidations and attacks on women internet users. It expressed alarm by the failure of the government to protect women from gender-based violence on line.