Beyond Bringing Back Our Girls Case Study
Beyond bringing back our girls:
Is Nigeria sleeping on the rights of our women?
ABSTRACT: This article examines the human rights of women in Nigeria in the light of the recent abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok Community in Borno State of Nigeria. It argues that the abduction of the Chibok girls is part of a series of violations of women’s rights in Nigeria. In reality, there are thousands of Nigerian women whose rights are being violated on a daily basis. And the abduction of the Chibok girls is partly as a result of these violations. Hence, if the Nigerian government as well as the international community wishes to put an end to incidents such as the abduction of the Chibok girls, efforts …show more content…
On the one hand, there are laws which adversely affect the rights of women. While on the other hand, the rights of women are undermined due to insufficient legislations. For instance, as Ayanleye points out, there is no specific legal provision for the right to health; not even in the Constitution. And reproductive and sexual health rights are very essential to women. Non-making of laws that protect the rights of women is as adverse as making laws that fail to adequately protect the rights of women. Hence, protecting the rights of women entails both the promulgation of laws that will protect the rights of women as well as the repeal or amendment of laws that fail to protect the rights of women. It is important to note that regional and international treaties could have been used in the place of insufficient legislations. But the constitutional provision which requires the domestication of treaties by the National Assembly before they become binding and enforceable is a hindrance. Dada suggests a review of this constitutional provision. And according to Ashiru , such reviews will help to bring Nigerian laws and policies in line with her international …show more content…
And the clamour for the immediate release of our girls should go as far as a demand for the protection of the rights of women. This is because the bringing back of our girls and the protection of Nigerian women are inter-dependent. If the rights of Nigerian women are not protected, there is no guarantee that the girls, if brought back, will not be taken away a second time; or that there will be no more abductions and violations of girls. The tragedy is beyond bringing back our girls. It is also about guaranteeing the protection of the rights of women. It is about providing an immediate and long-lasting solution to the violations of the rights of Nigerian women. Beyond bringing back our girls, the Nigerian government should take steps to protect the rights of women. It is not sufficient to just enact laws that promote the rights of women or to verbally assert a commitment towards the protection of the rights of women. Is about giving women access to justice, empowering women to fight for their rights, enforcing the rights of women, voiding discriminatory beliefs and customs
Is Nigeria sleeping on the rights of our women?
ABSTRACT: This article examines the human rights of women in Nigeria in the light of the recent abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok Community in Borno State of Nigeria. It argues that the abduction of the Chibok girls is part of a series of violations of women’s rights in Nigeria. In reality, there are thousands of Nigerian women whose rights are being violated on a daily basis. And the abduction of the Chibok girls is partly as a result of these violations. Hence, if the Nigerian government as well as the international community wishes to put an end to incidents such as the abduction of the Chibok girls, efforts …show more content…
On the one hand, there are laws which adversely affect the rights of women. While on the other hand, the rights of women are undermined due to insufficient legislations. For instance, as Ayanleye points out, there is no specific legal provision for the right to health; not even in the Constitution. And reproductive and sexual health rights are very essential to women. Non-making of laws that protect the rights of women is as adverse as making laws that fail to adequately protect the rights of women. Hence, protecting the rights of women entails both the promulgation of laws that will protect the rights of women as well as the repeal or amendment of laws that fail to protect the rights of women. It is important to note that regional and international treaties could have been used in the place of insufficient legislations. But the constitutional provision which requires the domestication of treaties by the National Assembly before they become binding and enforceable is a hindrance. Dada suggests a review of this constitutional provision. And according to Ashiru , such reviews will help to bring Nigerian laws and policies in line with her international …show more content…
And the clamour for the immediate release of our girls should go as far as a demand for the protection of the rights of women. This is because the bringing back of our girls and the protection of Nigerian women are inter-dependent. If the rights of Nigerian women are not protected, there is no guarantee that the girls, if brought back, will not be taken away a second time; or that there will be no more abductions and violations of girls. The tragedy is beyond bringing back our girls. It is also about guaranteeing the protection of the rights of women. It is about providing an immediate and long-lasting solution to the violations of the rights of Nigerian women. Beyond bringing back our girls, the Nigerian government should take steps to protect the rights of women. It is not sufficient to just enact laws that promote the rights of women or to verbally assert a commitment towards the protection of the rights of women. Is about giving women access to justice, empowering women to fight for their rights, enforcing the rights of women, voiding discriminatory beliefs and customs