Administrator:
Fatima Waziri
Recent Posts
June 9, 2013
May 28, 2013
April 30, 2013
March 8, 2013
January 20, 2013
September 3, 2012
August 23, 2012
August 18, 2012
August 15, 2012
July 25, 2012
The Nigerian Cafe!
Due to the patriarchal system in Nigeria, women have to deal with traditions and customs that condone not only discrimination but violence and mistreatment of women. Spousal abuse is sacrosanct in Nigeria and worse still, pursuant to the penal code; men are permitted to physically chastise their wives, so long as violence does not result in excessive damage. More than fifty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNHR) and more than twenty years after the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which has been signed by Nigeria, the realization of women human rights in Nigeria has been very slow.
While discrimination based on sex is illegal under the Nigeria Constitution and is also seen as an affront of God, actions that are blatantly discriminatory are often permitted, and any protections provided by the Federal System are inevitably few. Women's rights are seldom enforced legally in Nigerian human rights jurisprudence, perhaps this is because of the traditionally stratification system which puts women at a disadvantage; economically, socially and politically. Most international obligations as regards women are not incorporated into the national laws because of traditional bias. Where law has guaranteed those rights, women are often reluctant to resort to litigation for fear of being classified as confrontational. Also, the attitude of law enforcement officers and the judiciary who would usually see violations of women’s rights as the way of life in Africa, rely on the traditional roles of male and female in Africa.
Against this background, change can happen only when we say No! to discrimination, No! to dehumanization, No! to oppression and suppression. Change happens when we defend each others right to dignity. We can make change happen by questioning; we need to challenge everything. Most importantly, change happens when all international and regional conventions are domesticated and incorporated into our national laws. Finally change happens when women and men form alliances and work together to see change happen!. Let us all work together under one voice!
Let us all be the change we want to see in the world!
