Rights Of Women

A right is defined as a power, privilege or immunity guaranteed under a constitution, statute or case law or claimed as a result of long usage. Rights can be asserted, demanded or stood upon. According to the Global Funds for Women, women’s rights are the fundamental human rights that were enshrined by the United Nations for every human being on the planet nearly 70 years ago. These rights include the right to live free from violence, slavery and discrimination; to be educated; to own property; to vote and to earn a fair and equal wage.
Nigeria has a national gender policy that focuses on empowerment of women and advocates against any form of discrimination against women, and the Nigerian constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.
This constitutional provision considers it an aberration to discriminate against women. There has been improvement in terms of gender equality in education; girls school enrollment has steadily increased. However, there is still significant gender disparity which comes to labour force participation and representation in government. Politically, woman are lagging behind. Sometime ago, the Nigerian Senate voted down, the Gender parity and prohibition of violence against women bill that aimed to give women equal right in education, employment etc. Under the law, a widow in Nigeria would have automatically become the custodian of her children and husband’s property upon his death. May be if we had more women in the Senate, the bill might have passed.
Although the Nigerian constitution prohibits gender based discrimination, it does not protect women’s rights. Section 26(2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not allow a Nigerian woman to transmit her nationality to her foreign husband whereas the Nigerian man is able to transmit his nationality to his foreign wife
Also, Section 55(12) of the penal code applicable in the Northern Nigeria, permits wife battery as chastisement provided grievous bodily harm is not inflicted. Women’s participation in government is still a far cry from the expected 35 per cent stipulated in the National Gender policy.
I commend certain positive actions taken by government to protect woman’s right. The likes of such actions is the passage of the violence. Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015, Development of guidelines for the medical management of victims of violence in Nigeria. The establishment of Women Development Centres in the 36 states of Nigeria. Adoption of the Trafficking in person’s (Prohibition) law, Enforcement and Administration Act, Establishment of a National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in persons. Adoption of a national policy on HIV/AIDS reproductive health and female genital mutilation.
Amidst the giant strides of government to protect the rights of women, there is need for the adoption of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act in Call the states that are yet to pass it. Reformation of existing discriminating laws in the constitution and other statute books.

By:  Nkechi Bright-Ewere