Womens Economic Rights> NOGI IMOUKHUEDE'S REPLY TO OSAHENI IDAHOSA'S COMMENT

[jjowa@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Dear participants,
Thank you very much for your contributions to my 
paper.  I will like to respond to Osaheni's comments.  
I agree with him that about the violations of women's 
rights in Nigeria.  I would like  to point out that 
women NGOs in Nigeria have been very active in 
advocating for gender equality and equity.  Women's 
Rights Watch Nigeria has been very active in the fight 
for women's rights in Nigeria.  We have written a 
report - "Gender Persecution in Nigeria, our 
experience" which  we have given wide publicity, which 
we can send to any interested participant by e-mail.
At this stage of the conference, we would like to 
share  a report of our activities and experiences to 
particiants.




WOMEN RIGHTS WATCH (WRW) NIGERIA

Who are we?

Women Rights Nigeria is a project of RUFARM (Roots and 
Fruits Women?s
Farmers Society of Nigeria) which was established in 
1996
* WRW campaigns for the elimination of gender related  
persecution of
Nigerian Women. Alerts civil society on any known 
violations of
* Women?s Rights in Nigeria. Renders free legal 
services to victims of
gender abuse through its Legal Aid Clinic. Opposes 
cultural relativism
and insists that culture is dynamic and is subject to 
change.
* Advocates and lobbies for law reform and the adoption 
of the UN
Convention on the Elimination of All forms of 
Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW) 1979  and the UN Declaration on the 
Elimination of
Violence Against Women 1993 as Nigerian Laws. Advocates 
for gender
equality and equity in Nigeria. WOMEN?S RIGHTS WATCH 
LEGAL AID TEAM
(1)     MRS. NOGI IMOUKHUEDE                    -       
Lawyer & Project Co-ordinator 
(2)     MRS. URHO OGBOMO - ERAMEH               -
         Lawyer 
(3)     MR. VINCENT OMOIJAHE
-       Lawyer 
(4)     MRS. OTI AMUKPE - OVRAWAH               -
         Lawyer 
(5)      MRS. PAT IGHO BRAIMOH
         Lawyer
(6)     MR. BRIGHT NWOKOYE                      -
         Lawyer 
(7)     MR. G.O.E AKPATA -
        Counsellor 
(8)     MRS. V.E. AKPATA                                
-       Counsellor 
(9)     MR. J.J OWA -
        Counsellor 
(10)    MR. P.A. UWUILEKHUE                     -
         Counsellor 
(11)    MRS. EBUWA OSIFO                        -
         Counsellor 
(12)    MISS OMOSEDE AIBUEDEFE -
        Litigation Clerk

What is gender persecution?

Nigerian women suffer violations of their human rights 
through:
Violence in the home Sexual harassment at school and 
work Rape and
defilement Harsh and punitive widowhood rites Female 
Genital
Mutilation (FGM) Forced childhood marriages Sexual 
violence in
conflict situations and during armed robbery attacks 
Enforcement of
gender biased laws Discrimination against the girl-child
Disinheritance of wives and daughters Harmful 
traditional practices.

What have we done so far?

WOMEN RIGHTS WATCH NIGERIA PROJECT:
Due to  high prevalence of gender persecution in the 
rural areas.
RUFARM initiated the Women?s Rights Watch and Free 
Legal Clinic and is
presently involved in a national and international 
signature
collecting petition, which will be presented to the 
Presidency,
National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Women?s Affairs 
and the
National Human Rights Commission.  WRW  has collected 
signatures from
21 countries. We have conducted a print media campaign 
in our national
dailies and international electronic newsletters and 
the Internet.

Free legal aid dating back to 1989 to victims of gender 
persecution.
Suit No. B/361/98 - Ogiamien Vs. Ogiamien Obtained 
injunction
restraining family from evicting Widow (Plaintiff ) 
from her
matrimonial home of 42 years.
Suit No. OR/ACC/36/89 - Edebor Vs. Edebor Successfully 
defended our
client the 1st daughter from being disinherited by the 
1st Son of thedeceased.
Suit No. B/108/98 - Asabaor Vs. Alake & Aasabor 
Defending our client
2nd Defendant a Widow from a money lender who is 
seeking to claim her
husbands property from her son.  Our client out of 
poverty and
desperation pledged a house valued at N4,000,000 for a 
N100,000 loan.
The case is still pending in court.
Charge No. MB/226/98 - COP Vs. Dolly Ighagbon & 2 
others This was a
case of trafficking in girls.  The victim was a 13 
years old who was
trafficked to Ivory Coast.  Accused persons were 
discharged because
victim could not prove her case beyond all reasonable 
doubt.
Currently involved in the case of  Duvie Vs. Duvie 
between a Widow and
her husband?s family over gratuity benefits of her late 
Husband.

-       Celebration of International Women?s Day -      
Media campaign message
against Gender Violence broadcast on I.TV, Benin City, 
Kabissa Fahamu
Newsletter - electronic newsletter for African Non-
Profits.
-       Press release commending activities of the Edo 
State House of
Assembly for its gender friendly laws,    Edo  State 
House of Assembly
was the first State to prohibit Female Genitial 
Mutilation, amended
the Criminal Code to penalize trafficking in women and 
girls.  They
recently passed a bill mandating the monitoring of 
maternal mortality
in Edo State and they are considering passing a bill on 
harshwidowhood rites.
-       Protested against the nonchalance of Federal 
Government in the
caning of Bariya Magaju a teenage  nursing mother by 
the   Zamfara
Sharia Legal System.  Our protest was reported in the 
Guardian on the
6th of February, 2001.
Sent a protest against gender persecution on the 
internet which is on
our website www.kabissa.org/rufarm.
Presented a report on Women?s Rights in Nigeria - our 
experience which was
published in West Africa News - An E-newsletter.
Commended Enugu State House of Assembly for passing a 
bill banning
punitive widowhood rites in Enugu State.

How can you help?

By joining WRW in her struggle for gender equity and 
equality in
Nigeria.  Our efforts will influence the policy 
agenda.  Together we
can make a difference. 
NOGI IMOUKHUEDE