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Women, Peace and Security Initiatives: Nigeria
In-country | International

In-country

Online Petition Against Sharia Laws
Women's Rights Watch Nigeria
Women's Rights Watch Nigeria is urging the Federal Government of Nigeria, through an online petition, to seek judicial interpretation on the validity of the imposition of Sharia laws in the Supreme Court. They are urging the Federal Government to investigate the parameters of judicial authority of the 12 Muslim states that have adopted the law within the present democratic system, because of the injustices brought about by these laws. Women in particular have been the major victims of punishments and restrictions, which may be in violation of international human rights standards. To sign the online petition, please click here.

RUFARM Fighting Poverty Micro-Credit Scheme
RUFARM (Rural Women Farmers) Nigeria, May 2004
RUFARM, a grassroots women’s group that is devoted to fighting rural poverty, is organizing a new micro-credit scheme, which will enable a RUFARM woman to increase her self sufficiency by improving her living conditions. A RUFARM woman is a poor farmer living in rural Nigeria or a petty trader in the city. She is a poor woman with dependants, barely literate and has no access to credit. If you would like to learn more about their activities or sponsor a RUFARM Woman today, please click here.

Internship Program, The Girls' Power Initiative
The Executive Board of Girls' Power Initiative (GPI) is launching a new internship program for motivated and self-sponsored young women who are interested in gaining more knowledge on issues of adolescence, youth development and women empowerment in Nigeria. The period of the internship is negotiable and could vary from 6 weeks to one year. GPI is a non-governmental, not-for-profit development organisation that equips adolescent girls between the ages of 10-18 with sexuality, gender, human rights, health information, economic and other life skills to cope with growing-up, thus laying the basis for the enjoyment of healthy sexuality for today's adolescent, healthy womanhood and social justice for future generations of Nigerian women. For more information, please click here.

Community Building Initiative
2004
Fantsuam Foundation's Bayanloco Community Learning Center initiative is the focus of their GEM evaluation. The project aims to use ICT as an additional tool for poverty alleviation in rural communities in Nigeria, by promoting access to ICT facilities and relevant skills for rural women. Community Learning Centers with a library, computer access and community radio, are being established in rural communities with no access to telephone or electricity. Project components include training in computer literacy and microfinance. In exchange for getting a desktop, laptop, and satellite phone, communities commit to maintaining the CLC, investing in a car battery to power the computers, and keeping up community data bases. For more information visit Fantsuam Foundation - Nigeria

Girls For Sale - Building a Coalition to Fight Trafficking in Nigeria
February, 2004
Hundreds of Nigerian women and girls have been lured into prostitution in Europe and the Middle East, where they are vulnerable to abuse and violence. The following pages profile those who are campaigning to put an end to this insidious trade. These efforts are of great interest to the Advocacy Project. In June 2000, the Project sent a team to Nigeria to work with WOCON. This mission produced a series of On the Record and put together a small packet of information support for WOCON. The series was reprinted in a leading Nigerian newspaper. Click Here for more information on the Advocacy Campaign.

Mop de Arms Campaign
September, 2003
The Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition has launched a campaign to reduce the number of illegal weapons in circulation. The "Mop the Arms Campaign" aims to persuade local communities to become aware of the sources of arms and try and stop them falling into the hands of young people. Organizers hope to set up an amnesty during which arms can be handed in without penalty. For more information visit Peace Africa.

Awareness Campaigns Against Human Trafficking
August, 2003
Three information campaigns have been launched to raise awareness about human trafficking, particularly among young women and children, in the Edo/Delta State in Nigeria. Each campaign is expected to reach diverse sectors of the society through media, schools presentations, club or vocational centers meetings with young women out of school and illiterate people. The first campaign, organized by Idia Renaissance and the Committe for the Support of the Dignity of Women (COSUDOW), aims to reach parents and traditional chiefs and priests. The second awareness campaign, organized by the International Reproductive Rights Research Action Group (IRRRAG) and National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), aims to reach the rural villages most affected by human trafficking. Finally, the third campaign, organized by the Girls Power Initiative (GPI) Edo/Delta State and the African Women Empowerment Guild (AWEG) will reach the children. To read the full report regarding the three awareness campaign Click Here. For more information contact Idia Renaissance , COSUDOW, IRRRAG, NCWS, GPI or AWEG.

Week of Action Against Small Arms
June, 2003
The African regional office of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), in collaboration with Youths for Peace, organized a seminar on the “Impact of small arms injuries on health - Kano as a case study”. Dr. Ime A John, the IPPNW Vice President, for the African region, presented an overview of the impact of SALWs on health. His presentation focused on SALWs definition, abuse, and their applications in crime, coups and civil conflict. Also, Dr. Aminu Z. Mohammed, a member of the Nigerian affiliate of IPPNW, presented the results of a four-year (1999-2002) retrospective study carried out in the 5 biggest hospitals in Kano. It found that on average 66 persons are killed yearly in Kano from gunshots injuries. Educational materials, such as CDs, books and publications on Small arms, injury prevention and International Action Network Against Small Arms were distributed among the participants. Click here to read the press release. For more information visit International Action Network Against Small Arms.

International

Human Rights Watch accuses Commonwealth of double standards
December 2, 2003
The US-based group Human Rights Watch accused the Nigerian government, the host of this week’s Commonwealth summit, of using violence and intimidation to silence its critics. In addition, the organization accused the 54-nation global body of hypocrisy in honoring President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Nigerian regime while excluding Zimbabwe’s pariah leader, President Robert Mugabe. According to Human Rights Watch Africa, foreign governments remained virtually silent about election violence in Nigeria, yet abuses during the Zimbabwe elections provoked widespread condemnation. Activists stated that unless the Commonwealth addresses abuses in all of its member countries and denounces them accordingly, it will stand accused of maintaining double standards and its credibility will be undermined. Human Rights Watch has released a 40 page report with a detailed account of a series of killings, arrests, detentions and episodes of torture allegedly carried out by or with the tacit consent of Nigerian’s government supporters in the security services. To read the full article Click Here. For more information visit Human Rights Watch.

Campaign for Amina Lawal
September 25, 2003
On 22 March 2002, Amina Lawal, 30 years old, Muslim, was condemned to death for having a child as a divorced woman by a Sharia court in Bakori in the Katsina State of northern Nigeria. The man she designated as the father of the child denied ever having sexual relations with her. No legal claims were brought against him. In Amina's case, she did not have a lawyer for her defense. She was condemned by a tribunal constituted of one judge. Thanks to the mobilization and support of women's and human rights organization in Nigeria and abroad, a lawyer intervened on her behalf.
After several appeals, and the support of international human rights organizations, on 25 September 2003 Amina Lawal had her sentence overturned by the Sharia Court of Appeal of Katsina State. For more information visit Amnesty International.

Military Revenge in Benue: A Population Under Attack
April 2003
During the Benue massacre, from October 22 to 24, 2001, Nigerian soldiers killed more than two hundred unarmed civilians of the Tiv ethnic group, and destroyed private and public property. The attack was the response to the killing of 19 Nigerian soldiers two weeks earlier, attributed to the members of the Tiv ethnic group. On April 2003, Human Rights Watch released the report Military Revenge in Benue: A population Under Attack, which documents the massacre and destruction of property in the Benue State. Human Rights Watch calls individuals world-wide to write President Obasanjo in response to his recent statements dismissing Human Rights Watch's report on the killings in Benue. Also Human Rights Watch calls individuals to write to the United States and United Kingdom governments, asking them to express concern to the Nigerian government about the killings in Benue, and to press the Nigerian government to bring those responsible to justice. To write to President Obasanjo Click Here. For more information visit Human Rights Watch.