Nigeria

Nigeria: Favour Irabor - Money, religion & patriarchy pose problems for female politicians

Publication Date: 
September 4, 2011
Source: 
Vanguard


It’s over four months now since the last general elections, but Nigerian women politicians and even stakeholders are yet to recuperate from the shock of its outcome. Unlike previous elections, women vied enmass for various political offices, but  few of them got in! As a response to this fall which has also translated into an abysmal reduction in the representation of women in political offices(apart from the ministerial offices), the question of ‘what went wrong?’  has continued to take centre-stage at most women gatherings. Here, women’s human rights activist, a lawyer, (Ms) Favour Irabor, Programme Officer, Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, reviews the circumstances surrounding Nigerian women in politics as she calls on stakeholders to urgently begin preparations for the 2015 elections.

Nigeria: Changing attitudes to contraception

Publication Date: 
July 27, 2011
Source: 
IRIN
Nigeria: Traditional leaders’ support has been vital to reproductive health education efforts (Photo: UNFPA)


DAKAR, 27 July 2011 (IRIN) - Health workers say an apparent rise in contraceptive use in Nigeria stems largely from a willingness by traditional and religious leaders in some regions to use their influence in promoting reproductive health.

In the predominantly Muslim north, where contraceptive use has historically been far lower than the national average, the support of traditional leaders has helped change attitudes in communities where contraception was long regarded as taboo.

Alhaji Sani Umar, district head of Gagi District, Sokoto State, in northwestern Nigeria, works with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) to advocate reproductive health in his community.

Stop Violent Punishments against Women Radio Campaign

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About 

BAOBAB For Women's Human Rights is a women's human rights organization, which focuses on women's legal rights issues under the three (3) systems of law - customary, statutory and religious laws in Nigeria. The organization evolved from an ad hoc group of activists, social scientists, lawyers, and specialists in Muslim laws and Arabic who were responsible for executing the Women and Laws Nigeria project, under the auspices of the International Solidarity Network of Women Living Under Muslim Laws from 1993 to 1996. In 1996, BAOBAB as presently constituted formally came into being.  BAOBAB operates from a national office in Lagos and with outreach teams in 14 states across Nigeria and is considered one of the leading voices in Nigeria advocating against cruel and violent forms of punishments against women in the name of 'culture'. 

VNC Strategic E-Campaigning Workshops: Women Re-claiming Culture through Tactical Technology

VNC Bali Training 1


In 2010, the Violence is Not our Culture (VNC) Campaign hosted two Strategic E-Campaigning workshops, based on the expressed needs and desires of our partners in the Asia and Africa regions, with the intention of enhancing the effectiveness of our advocacy and communication strategies for our networked campaigns in their local contexts. 

Guidelines and Activities for a unified approach to sexuality, gender, HIV, and Human Rights Education

Publication Date: 
November, 2010


It's All One Curriculum, was developed by an international working group comprised of CREA (India), Girl's Power Initiative (Nigeria), International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), IPPF/Western Hemisphere Region, International Women's Health Coalition, Mexfam (Mexico), and the Population Council.  

Widow "Cleansing" Tradition - Rights Violation

Publication Date: 
April 13, 2009
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Widow cleansing dates back centuries and is practiced for example in countries like Zambia, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Angola, Ivory Coast, Congo and Nigeria. It gives a nod to a man from the widow’s village or her husband’s family, usually a brother or close male relative of her late husband, to force her to have sex with him – ostensibly to allow her husband’s spirit to roam free in afterlife.

Nigeria: Children accused of witchcraft

Publication Date: 
August 28, 2010
Source: 
WUNRN / CNN
Two children accused of witchcraft

 

By Christian Purefoy, CNN

August 28, 2010

 

Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria (CNN) -- Just after midnight, the pastor seized a woman's forehead with his large hand and she fell screaming and writhing on the ground. "Fire! Fire! Fire!" shouted the worshippers, raising their hands in the air.

A Female Approach to Peacekeeping

Publication Date: 
March 5, 2010
Source: 
New York Times
Photo: New York Times

MONROVIA, LIBERIA — When darkness comes to Congo Town, women in crisp uniforms take the streets, patrolling with Kalashnikov rifles and long, black hair tucked into baby-blue caps.

Nigerian senator Sani denies marrying girl of 13

Publication Date: 
April 30, 2010
Source: 
BBC News


A Nigerian senator accused of marrying a 13-year-old Egyptian girl says he has done nothing wrong.

Ahmad Sani Yerima, 49, told the BBC that his fourth wife was not 13, but would not say how old she was.He denied breaking the law but said he would not respect any law that contradicted his religious beliefs. The Nigerian senate ordered an investigation after complaints from women's groups but the senator said he did not care what the groups thought.

A spokesman for the Egyptian embassy in Nigeria has said the girl is still at school in Egypt.

Publication: Policy Briefing Series I

Policy Briefing Series I: VNC is pleased to announce the publication of our first Policy Briefing Series on culturally-justified violence against women (CVAW).