Women & gender

Nigeria: Senate Begins Consideration of Bill To Domesticate CEDAW

2006-08-28, Issue 267

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/wgender/36511

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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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