NGO Calls For Women-Friendly Legislations

As the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) opens its 2011 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, the Network of the Bar, Bench and Police has sued for women-friendly laws in Nigeria.

A statement signed by Mrs. Florence Fiberesima, South-South Coordinator of the Network notes that there was still a high incidence of violence against women and inadequate legal protection for them when and where it is most needed .

The statement called on the Nigeria Bar Association, government and members of the society to develop and pursue a National legislation and policies that would actually prohibit practices that are harmful to or discriminatory against women in Nigeria.

“Violations of Women’s rights have become the core of human rights abuse in our time. This has also affected their right to health and reproduction in ways that hurts and endangers this civilization”, it states.

According to the statement, the country suffers a serious lack of correct and accurate rights’ based information that limits women’s decision making capabilities resulting in very high mortality ratio, high female illiteracy, low female participation in politics and sexual exploitation  as well as trafficking in young women.

The statement pointed to Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that provides for human rights and wondered why the emphasis on right to life and health has not been translated to concrete success stories.

Hoping that the needed emphasis on reproductive rights would be given all the attention, the Network notes that when women are empowered and healthy, they can help to sustain an enduring democracy in Nigeria.