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Human Rights and Legal Implications of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill, 2011 for Every Nigerian Citizen
A briefing Communiqué for His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, & The Senate and the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
An analysis prepared by Nigerian civil society organizations, human rights organizations, feminist and women’s rights groups, social health workers, social and economic justice activists and NGO...click here to read more
PRESS STATEMENT FOR 2011 INTERANTIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ORGANISED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SWEDISH EMBASSY, NIGERIA
The International Women’s day provides an important platform for promoting women’s human rights and for gauging stakeholders’ responsibilities and achievements. Since its inception in 1911, the International Women’s Day which is celebrated March 8 of every year has been set aside as a day to mark the economic, political, social achievement of women all over the world. Each year global themes are selected that form the focus of activities for that year. In 2010, for example, the International Women’s day was celebrated around the theme: “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All”. March 8, 2011 marks the centenary anniversary (1911-2011) of the International Women’s Day with the theme “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women”. According to the United Nation’s Department of Public Information, International Women’s Day is “When women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development”. Different activities will be organized all over the world on this day to commemorate the International Women’s Day and examine women’s economic and social status and recommend as well as demand increased opportunities for achieving gender equality and equity.
As we know in Nigeria today, there is a disproportion in the number of women who have access to quality education. In situations where women do have access to education they are usually restricted to specific vocations or areas of specialization which are seen as being more appropriate for women. This trend limits women to specific jobs which usually attracts smaller wages and underpayment because such jobs are usually regarded by the society as menial jobs and has resulted in limiting the potential of approximately half of the nation’s population causing a huge setback in our development.
Therefore, there is the need to enlighten the society on the need for women to demand for their right to education with no restrictions whatsoever.
Over the years BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights has utilized the platform of International Women’s Day to promote women’s human rights through the organization of events that create awareness of women’s human rights and encourage the promotion of these rights in every sector. It is against this backdrop that BAOBAB is collaborating with the Embassy of Sweden to organize a seminar to mark this year’s celebration. Discussions at the seminar will examine the status of women in Nigeria; identify challenges to realizing women’s human rights and commit to increase efforts in the different sectors to achieve higher level of women’s human rights protection and promotion. The seminar will also form the basis for further collaboration between BAOBAB and the different sectors in order to increase the achievement of BAOBAB’s mandate within Nigeria and the region.
We believe that the partnership with other organizations and bodies will accelerate the promotion and protection of Women’s Human Rights in Nigeria.
Signed
Sindi Medar-Gould
Executive Director
BAOBAB & WLP's flyer to a Panel at the CSW 55 Parallel events
BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights (BAOBAB) and Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development and Peace (WLP) invites you to a Panel at The CSW 55 Parallel events on
" Women’s Political Participation and Leadership: Challenging Fundamentalisms". click here to view the flyer
Press Statement: African Women’s Health and Rights Day February 4th 2011
The African Women’s Health and Rights Day (AWHRD) is an annual event to raise awareness and advance critical debate around Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of women throughout the African continent both national and local levels. This year’s event is another opportunity to assess the state of women’s Health & Rights advancement across the region from the Referendum in Sudan, the tensions around elections in Nigeria, the crisis in Democratic Republic of Congo which includes sexual violence and rape as a weapon of war, the Women’s Human Rights abuses in Uganda based on sexuality, and the crisis in Cote D’Ivoire arising from that country’s last elections and the impact of all of these political issues on the political will to implement measures towards the protection of women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
BAOBAB for Women’s Human rights is a not for profit, non-governmental organization working to promote and protect the human rights of women under customary, statutory and religious laws. As part of the organization’s advocacy work into February 4th commemoration this year, based on the fact that Africa is saddled with a lot of issues tied to the continent’s development including but not limited to the poor state of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and the lack of political will on the part of the various governments to implement all the regional instruments they have committed themselves to, BAOBAB calls on various governments to adhere to provisions they undertake to protect the Human Rights of citizens. This includes women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Until all the issues surrounding these rights are resolved or at least reduced to the barest minimum, moving forward will be difficult and development will be meaningless.
One critical factor, amongst a host of others, is the lack of information on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women on the continent which is fundamental to the development of the continent as a whole; governments MUST make concerted efforts to make this available so that women can make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health, for example having information on family planning, HIV/AIDS, etc and reverse the lamentable rise of gender based violence.
BAOBAB is once again using this occasion to call on all governments on the continent to expedite action on their commitment to the regional instrument - Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. BAOBAB insists that the protocol if well implemented will not only raise the status of women‘s health on the continent but will be a factor for fast development in the various countries. We believe that fulfilling the protocol is equal to taking a giant step towards the realization of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, specifically goals 4, 5 and 6. BAOBAB also calls on all the governments to review and implement the African Union Maputo Plan of Action for Universal Access to Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Services. Most governments in the region are yet to expedite actions on this and we say delay is no longer an option – the time is NOW.
Signed
Sindi Medar-Gould
Executive Director
To view the pdf format of the Press Statement on The African Women’s Health and Rights Day (AWHRD) click here
Uganda: VNC statement on brutal killing of Ugandan LGBT rights defender David Kato - January 31, 2010
The Violence is Not out Culture campaign condemns the brutal murder on 26 January 2011 of LGBT human rights defender, David Kato, of Uganda and extends its condolences to his colleagues at Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). David was a long term activist for rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Uganda, and was a highly respected and admired human rights defender within his community and worldwide.
David’s murder comes only three weeks after successfully suing a tabloid paper for calling for him, along with many others, to be hung for his sexual orientation. Whilst the Ugandan police have stated that there is no evidence his murder was a hate crime, homophobia in Uganda is on the rise.
National dialogue and understanding of homosexuality in Uganda is widely known to being strongly influenced by American Evangelical Christians, some of whom visited the country and took part in an anti-homosexuality conference that immediately preceded the filing of the anti-homosexuality bill in the parliament in 2009. The first draft of the bill called for the death sentence as a punishment for ‘repeat offenders’ of homosexuality. If it becomes law, the bill would violate international human rights law and lead to further human rights violations. David Kato was one of the main advocates campaigning against the bill, and received numerous death threats for his activism.
At the funeral for David Kato, the Anglican priest conducting the service broke into a rant condemning homosexuals, after which activists took over and buried the body. An excommunicated priest who has also campaigned for rights relating to sexual orientation conducted the rest of the service.
The Violence is Not our Culture campaign denounces the use of culture or religion as the justification for the hatred and violence being sowed against the LGBTI community in Uganda. We hold the Government of Uganda accountable in ensuring full investigations into the death of David Kato. Now more than ever is the time for the authorities to reassure Ugandans that it will protect them against threats and violence regardless of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The government must provide guarantees that members of Uganda's LGBT community have adequate protection from violence and will take prompt action against all threats or hate speech likely to incite violence, discrimination, or hostility toward them.
Monday, 31 January 2011
A statement from the Violence is NOT our Culture campaign (an international campaign against the cultural/religious justifications for violence against women, hosted by Women Living Under Muslim Laws(WLUML)).
Iran: An Urgent Call For The Release Of Nasrin Sotoodeh - November 9, 2010
BAOBAB for Women’s human Rights calls for the immediate unconditional release of Nasrin Sotoodeh, an Iranian human rights lawyer and women’s rights activist from detention at the Tehran’s Evin prison. Nasrin Sotoodeh, was charged by the Iranian
authorities with acting against national security and was imprisoned September 4, 2010. She went on a dry hunger strike September 24, to protest her illegal detention and inhumane situation inside the prison. She has been denied visits with her lawyer and family. Presently her health and wellbeing is of a great concern as officials have refused to provide clear explanations about her situation.
BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights therefore call on all human rights activists and NGOs to join in the effort to bring an end to this oppressive act by signing on the petition for the release of Nasrin Sotoodeh.
Also see press releases by Gender Equality in Iran and the International Campaign for Human rights in Iran, posted on WLUML website and Gender Equality in Iran . click on either links above to
sign the petition.
URGENT ALERT WITH RESPECT TO THE ARREST OF WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER IN THE GAMBIA - October 15, 2010
BAOBAB for Women’s human Rights calls for the immediate unconditional release on bail of Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho, who were both alleged to be involved in fund misappropriation.
The arrest which occurred on October 11, 2010 arose despite a previous investigation which clearly absolved the human rights activists from this unfounded allegation. The threats, harassment and now subsequent arrest of the human rights activists, without the option of bail is a violation of their right to liberty and a freedom from torture contrary to the tenets of human rights as contained in the Universal Bills of Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
While decrying the repressive policies against human rights activism in the state as it relates to women’s human rights, BAOBAB condemns the act of the National Intelligence Agency and the Gambian government for oppressive and unfair harassment of these women without following due process.
Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho are respectively the Executive Director and Program Coordinator for the Gambia Committee for Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP). GAMCOTRAP is committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls’ political, social, sexual, reproductive health and educational rights.
BAOBAB uses this medium to call on all human rights activists, organizations and networks to roundly condemn this action and join in the effort to bring an end to this oppressive act by
• Writing a protest letter to the Gambian Government at the embassy in their respective countries for the immediate release and application of due process in accordance with procedures established by the 1997 Constitution of the Federal Republic of The Gambia;
• Calling the attention of the African Commission for the immediate compliance of the Gambian Authority to the human rights principles contained in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and
• Urging the Gambian Human Rights Commission to ensure that the human rights of these women to a free and fair trial, freedom from torture and arbitrary arrest/detention as well as the dignity of the human person are upheld.
Signed:
Sindi Medar – Gould
Executive Director
BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights
To take action click on this link : WLUML
Nigeria National Learning Institute for Leadership and ‘Training of Trainers’: June 9-12 2010, Vines Hotel, Abuja.
Press Statement by BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights
Distinguished People of the Press,
On behalf of BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights (BAOBAB), and the Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development and Peace (WLP) USA, we happily welcome you to the opening of this strategic National Learning Institute for Women’s Leadership and Training of Trainers’ for Leaders and Senior Personnel of NGOs and CBOs, taking place in Abuja, Nigeria.
Over the past decades from colonial to post colonial era, women’s participation in politics has been marginal. This marginalization is not limited to Nigeria but cuts across all regions and continents. This is not unconnected with the patriarchal system in most communities across the region, where men are perceived as dominant and women as subordinate. Women often do not hold positions of leadership in the community, at work or in politics. Factors affecting women’s leadership in general are interrelated. These include: poverty; women’s triple burden of work; culture; conservative religious interpretations, gender stereotypes often leading to women’s low self-esteem; and subsequent undervaluing of their leadership potential; and so forth. Women’s ideas are often left unsaid or unheard, even when they are present during discussions and decision-making.
Fortunately, changes are slowly starting to emerge as more people are realizing the importance and the benefits of equal opportunities for men and women.
A lot of women are beginning to re-examine their leadership role as well as asking questions on how to be involved in leadership and decision making in all sphere of life. To expedite this change and raise women to the status in which they are entitled, women need to be empowered to reach their full potential in leadership and not be oppressed by gender stereotypes.
The Women’s Leadership and Training of Trainers’ Institute is a collaborative project of the Women’s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development and Peace (WLP)- USA (www.learningpartnership.org ) in partnership with its Africa hub, BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights – Nigeria (www.baobabwomen.org). The need for the roaming Institute has been expressed by WLP’s partner organizations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, who follow the establishment of the WLP Women’s Leadership Programs in their countries and recognized the need for special training of trainers’ sessions that enhance the leadership, communication, and advocacy skills of grassroots trainers and women’s rights advocates.
The institute is based on the following premises:
• Society would gain politically, economically and culturally if women and men worked together as equal partners.
• Good leadership serves both women and men in society.
• Good leadership is inclusive, participatory and does not leave out any part of the community. It teaches men and women to be partners, not to fight against each other.
• Leadership is horizontal. Horizontal leadership, as opposed to vertical leadership creates the conditions for the equal treatment of men and women.
• True leadership leads to greater choices for everyone.
The objectives of the Institute are as follows:
• Empower women to embrace the principles of horizontal, participatory and truly democratic leadership.
• Enable participants to identify and develop communication skills, leadership skills, and advocacy skills among others.
• Identify seemingly insurmountable challenges to women’s leadership and explore ways of overcoming these challenges.
• Exchange ideas and experiences based on success stories of women, and build on these experiences for further action.
• Share facilitation techniques to enable participants multiply the gains of the training with other women in their respective constituents, in order to further enhance participation at leadership levels in different spheres of social interaction and decision-making.
We have conducted similar institutes for diverse sectors of women nationally- Cross River and Ondo and regionally in Liberia, Sierra-Leone and Togo, with plans to extend to other countries. We believe that one of the greatest challenges facing Nigeria today is in the area of leadership, and this has informed the need for the partnership to initiate a project that will transform the leadership agenda from its original vertical and hierarchical structure to one that is horizontal, participatory, inclusive, and gender sensitive.
WLP’s participatory leadership approach takes into cognizance the views of the diverse sectors of the society and enables women to make their own choices from a variety of options. WLP produces multimedia educational materials to increase women’s participation in local, regional and global decision-making –not just in politics, but within their families, communities and other social sectors.
Distinguished media personnel, and agents of social transformation, we are happy that you have honoured this invitation to share a few moments with us, and we hope that this will translate to further collaboration towards enhancing women’s participation in decision making and leadership in all spheres of governance in Nigeria.
We look forward to a fruitful Institute!
Thank You all
Sindi Medar-Gould
Executive Director
BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights
March 8 , 2010
Press statement on International Women's Day
Theme: 'Equal Rights Equal Oportunities; Progress for All'
Every year, march 8th is set aside as a day to recognize and appreciate women's struggles and achievements in the past years and to call attention to other areas of concern that are critical to women's lives in particular and the society in general. The theme for this year's international Women's day is 'Equal Rights Equal Oportunities; Progress for All' BAOBAB for women's Human Rights is joinig other groups around the globe to mark this very significant day.
This year's March 8th is particularly different and remarkerable because collectively groups around the world have also commenced activities to commemorate the fifteen the year anniversary of the outcome of the 4th Women's conference in Beijing in 1995, the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA). this coincidentially is being discussed between March 1st and 12th 2010 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York at its 54th sessiom on the Commission on the status of Women. Women globally have mobilized significantly to put their voices together to say "No" to none or partial implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The day is remarkable in the lives of women because it is also a time to give visibility to their achievements so far and to strategize on consolidating the gains. Though the world recognizes the existence of the women, it is yet to pay recognition to their achievements especially their contribution to developement, hence the call for equal opportunity for all women everywhere without discrimination. women are often seen as second class citizens and have not been accorded their rightful position in development.
The United nation recognizes the need to involve and recognize women as valuable contributors to the development process. Non recognition of their roles will only draw development back by several steps. The non inclusion of women is therefore very disturbing.
BAOBAB is therefore urgently calling on the Ferderal Government of Nigeria to earnestly put in place necessary measure to alleviate the difficulties faces by women in the development process, recognize and adequately compensate them. The government should also treat as amatter of urgency the domestication of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The domestication of the convention will serve as a basis of Law from which Nigerian women and girls can seek adequate protection from.
The continued denial of some acts of violence against women particularly domestic violenec, as private will not bring about any progress. it is therefore startegic for the law emforcement agents to treat as a public affair any reported act of violence against their women without reducing to a 'mere domestic' affair.
it is important also at this point to emphasis the need for the creation of equal opportunities for women in all sphere of live including but not limited to eduacation, economic needs, political position, social and technological advancement as this will automatically mean progress for all.
Therefore for the purpose of accountability, adopting equal rights and equal opportunities for all as a guiding principle will tranlate into equity and equality, overall developemnt, recognition, promotion of women's human rights and finally into a society that is conducive for everyone to live regardless for race, color, religion and sex.
Signed
Mufuliat Fijabi
Senior Programme Officer
For: Sindi Medar- Gould
Executive Director |
