Women and Gender in Nigeria

• Only 56% of women are literate• Only 32% of people in the government are women• Only 7.5% of the Nigerian National Assembly (aka Congress) seats are

held by women• Only 22% of women have access to bank loans• Women earn less for the same jobs• The Sharia Law being implemented in the northern parts of the

country is hurting gender equality

• America has more gender equality in all areas

Relative Political and Economic Power

Women’s Rights

Women’s rights in Nigeria compare equally (if not unfavorably) to that of women in the United States, this is mostly due to the religious and cultural limits that Nigerian society has.

Marriage for instance has been Polygamous for decades (which originates from tribal cultures and variants of Islamic culture), although it is beginning to wane. If the couple is unsuccessful in life or economic standing, it is the woman who is generally blamed. In many cases men devalue the work a woman does at home (one of the few places they are allowed to work) and can readily abandon the woman and their family at any time.

Womens (cont)

Abortion is universally illegal in Nigeria, and has even been shown that the most anti-abortion groups consist of women.

That said, through the very cultural tenants that have limited women and modernization, women’s rights are rapidly expanding in Nigeria.

Shari'ah law does allow many rights to women (such as owning land and having a job), and men are beginning to see value in women as they begin to take Higher ranking jobs.

Women also are guaranteed suffrage in the Nigerian Constitution, there is even a Ministry of Women to make sure Nigerian women’s rights are secured

Links

Links: http://

www.postcolonialweb.org/nigeria/contwomen.html

http://www.iheu.org/node/1134 Wikipedia

Attitudes about Homosexuality

2007 Pew Global Attitudes Project: 97% of Nigeria residents said that homosexuality should be rejected by society -Religion: Christianity and Islam-HIV/AIDS: negative stigma

Nigerian Law

Chapter 21, Articles 214 & 217 of Nigerian penal code: Imprisonment up to 14 yrs for same-sex sexual activity

Cross-dressing’s association with homosexuality -> punishment even where the Shari’a law doesn’t apply

Sharia Law

100 lashes and one year imprisonment for unmarried Muslim men

Death by stoning for married or divorced Muslim men

Prohibits men from dressing as women or addressing each other as women and Muslim men have been punished 

Politics and Homosexuality

Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2006: controversial draft bill proposed in Nigeria

-Intent of bill was to ban anything associated or actually gay in the country

-Criticism from United States and other human rights organizations

- Obasanjo Administration’s attempt to appeal to public sentiment in his efforts for election year

 The People's Democratic Party and the All Nigeria Peoples Party: two most successful political parties in Nigeria -> maintain an overtly hostile stance on LGBT-rights. 

Politics and Homosexuality (cont) Various protections guaranteeing all citizens

equal rights and other rights like health care and equal opportunity in workplace -> still no legislation (like 14th amendment) to protect against discrimination or harassment

^ http://pewglobal.org/reports/pdf/258.pdfhttp://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/af/

119018.htmhttp://www.365gay.com/

Newscon06/01/011906nigeria.htm

Turning Points

1901 – Colonization and Western influences restricted women’s participation in politics

1954-1975 – given right to vote 1954: Eastern region 1955: Western region 1959: Southern region 1975: Northern region

1996 – BAOBAB formed to raise awareness about women’s rights

1999 - Nigerian Constitution outlaws discrimination based on gender

2000 – implementation of Sharia law placed restrictions on rights of women Ex: Sex out of wedlock punished by death

2006 – Nigeria Feminist Forum – various Nigerian women’s groups gathered to discuss social changes

Sources

http://www.postcolonialweb.org/nigeria/contwomen.html

http://www.consultancyafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=551:baobab-extending-nigerian-womens-rights-through-sharia-law&catid=90:optimistic-africa&Itemid=295

http://www.iheu.org/node/1134

Women’s Movement

In 1982 a national conference was held at Ahmadu Bello University where a national feminist movement was inaugurated

Nigeria's university-educated women presented that they believed the place of women in society required a concerted effort and deserved a place on the national agenda; however, the public perception, remained far behind

Main Women’s rights Activists

Margaret Ekpo • a pioneering female politician in the country's First Republic

• A leading member of a class of traditional Nigerian women activists and played a major roles as a grassroot and nationalist politician in the Eastern Nigerian city of Aba

• Won a seat into the Eastern Regional House of Assembly in 1961. A position that allowed her to fight for issues affecting women at the time. In particular, were issues on the progress of women in economic and political matters, especially in the areas of transportation around major roads leading to markets and rural transportation in general

Elizabeth Adekogbe• She was the leader of the Ibadan-based Women's Movement.

• Main objectives: universal suffrage, admission of women to Native Authority councils, the nomination of members to the Western House of Assembly, enrollment of more girls in secondary schools, and a reduction in the bride price.

Modern Attitudes Towards Women

Still fairly primitive, seen as lower than menStill can’t have abortionsNot active in politicsRarely can/do hold leadership rolesStill less likely to receive secondary

level education

Current Women Leaders

Diana WiwaKey leader in the struggle for human

rights and environmental issues Major General Aderonke Kale

• The highest ranking female officer in the Nigerian Army

• Christina Anyanwu• Famous author awarded the International

Press Freedom Award.