Enforcing Arbitration Awards Under the International Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID Convention)

This article addresses the broad question of enforcement of ICSID arbitral awards under the Convention, with the goal of analyzing the attendant issues. The article is divided into four parts. Part Two deals with background issues such as the purpose of ICSID as envisaged by the ICSID Convention and the composition of the ICSID. Part Three analyzes the ICSID arbitral process and discusses the ICSID\u27s jurisdiction and the constitution of its arbitral panel. Part Four, the main section, discusses the recognition and enforcement of awards. This section will analyze the various steps of enforcement: recognition, enforcement itself, and execution of awards that have been adjudged enforceable. The article will examine the jurisprudence that has been developed in some ICSID cases before domestic courts of member states to the ICSID Convention. Part Four also discusses the practical effects of these cases and analyzes the impact of the annulment provision and process under the Convention on the ICSID mechanism

Towards an African Court of Human Rights: Structuring and the Court

The purpose of this paper is to argue the need for an African Court of Human Rights if African states truly wish to maintain an African human rights mechanism. In other words, for an effective African regional human rights protection and enforcement mechanism to exist, the African system must be made more effective and supplemented with a court of human rights. The proposal for an African Court of Human Rights will require an amendment of the Charter by a treaty or convention. Recent human rights violations include those that took place in Nigeria, in former Zaire under Mobutu Seseko, and the carnage and genocide in Rwanda. This paper is divided into four sections. Section one offers a brief evaluation of the current system, with the aim of pointing out its inherent weaknesses and possible means to strengthen it. This necessarily involves an evaluation of the Commission and the effectiveness of its mandate as a remedy for human rights violations. Section two builds on the previous section to present arguments in favor of a court. Section three suggests a structure for the court in terms of composition, basic foundation, and its relationship with the Commission. Finally, section four focuses on how to empower the court in terms of jurisdiction, independence, enforcement of its decisions, and funding. The author will draw inspiration from existing international and regional mechanisms/ as well as current initiatives in the African region. The author will comment on and make use of the Draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples\u27 Rights already in place, considering it as a possible treaty or convention-based amendment to the African Charter

I. African court on human and peoples’ rights, African commission on human and peoples’ rights v. Great socialist people’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, order for provisional measures, 25 March 2011

Africa has been struggling for years to establish a mechanism of human rights protection comparable to other international and regional mechanisms. Illiteracy and the low standards of economic development and social welfare, especially in rural areas, as well as the absence of financial resources were certainly not the best grounds to build on. Moreover, as Nmehielle notes, the creation of a human rights mechanism in Africa was equally hinged on other questions, more controversial ones, such as the existence of the concept of ‘law’ and ‘rights’ in pre-colonial Africa. In this respect, a Western-style mechanism of human rights protection would be naturally perceived with suspicion, as a form of foreign intervention

Regional patterns and correlates of gender differences in HIV risk behaviour among Nigerian adolescents and young adults

Context: Heterosexual transmission has been found to be the major route of HIV infection in Nigeria. Thus prevention of HIV infection by reducing risky behaviors has been identified as a public health priority. This study examines regional pattern and correlates of gender differences in HIV risk behaviors among Nigerian youths aged 15-24 years. As different geo-political regions have specific gender ideologies and practices, there is need to find out if gender differences in Nigeria regions drive HIV risk behaviors among youths. Method: Data from the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey were analyzed for never married, sexually experienced 342 males and 630 females. Multiple sex partnerships and pattern of condom use were the HIV risk behaviors examined. Respondents were asked the number of sexual partners in the last 12 months while pattern of condom use is a composite variable of four items in the 2003 NDHS. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were done using STATA 9.SE. Binary and multinomial logistic models were used for multivariate analyses. Results: The study shows that there is high level of risk behaviours in the population. This cuts across gender and regions. For instance, 54% of males and 69% of females engage in inconsistent condom use and 30% of males and 9% of females in multiple sex partnership. This pattern is consistent across the regions. It is also shown that while correlates of HIV risk behaviours vary by gender, its regional variation by gender is inconsistent. The study highlights inconsistent gender differentiation by regions. Further investigation is necessary to explain this observation

Effects of Englerina drummondii Balle ex Polhill and Wiens leaves extract on selected female rat organs’ weights

Background: Herbal medicine are patronized by several people across the globe This herbal medicine is routinely use and are more accessible and available. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Englerina drummondii Balle ex Polhill and Wiens leaves on rat organs (thyroid gland, kidneys, ovary and fallopian tubes) weights in female rats. Methods: 20 female rats were selected randomly into 4 groups with 5 rats per group. Group 1 received 5 ml/kg of water, group 2 received extract 100 mg/kg, group 3 received extract 200 mg/kg, and group 4 received extract 400 mg/kg. Administration of extract was done for 28 days. Results: The study revealed significance decreased in the weight of the left ovary organ when extract of medium dose (200 mg/kg) and high dose (400 mg/kg) was administered, as compared to control. The result also shows decrease in the organs weight of the thyroid gland, left kidney, right and left fallopian tubes extract of low, medium and high dose were administered. The right kidney shows increase when low dose extract was given but decrease when both low and medium dose of extract was given. However, this decrease is not significance and could be due to dose or time dependent. Statistical analysis was done using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 23 and p<0.05 was significant. Conclusions: There was significance decreased in the weight of the left ovary organ when extract of medium dose (200 mg/kg) and high dose (400 mg/kg) was administered. Also, there is decrease in other organs weight when low, medium and high dose was given but not significance

Enforcing Arbitration Awards Under the International Convention for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID Convention)

This article addresses the broad question of enforcement of ICSID arbitral awards under the Convention, with the goal of analyzing the attendant issues. The article is divided into four parts. Part Two deals with background issues such as the purpose of ICSID as envisaged by the ICSID Convention and the composition of the ICSID. Part Three analyzes the ICSID arbitral process and discusses the ICSID\u27s jurisdiction and the constitution of its arbitral panel. Part Four, the main section, discusses the recognition and enforcement of awards. This section will analyze the various steps of enforcement: recognition, enforcement itself, and execution of awards that have been adjudged enforceable. The article will examine the jurisprudence that has been developed in some ICSID cases before domestic courts of member states to the ICSID Convention. Part Four also discusses the practical effects of these cases and analyzes the impact of the annulment provision and process under the Convention on the ICSID mechanism

Towards an African Court of Human Rights: Structuring and the Court

The purpose of this paper is to argue the need for an African Court of Human Rights if African states truly wish to maintain an African human rights mechanism. In other words, for an effective African regional human rights protection and enforcement mechanism to exist, the African system must be made more effective and supplemented with a court of human rights. The proposal for an African Court of Human Rights will require an amendment of the Charter by a treaty or convention. Recent human rights violations include those that took place in Nigeria, in former Zaire under Mobutu Seseko, and the carnage and genocide in Rwanda. This paper is divided into four sections. Section one offers a brief evaluation of the current system, with the aim of pointing out its inherent weaknesses and possible means to strengthen it. This necessarily involves an evaluation of the Commission and the effectiveness of its mandate as a remedy for human rights violations. Section two builds on the previous section to present arguments in favor of a court. Section three suggests a structure for the court in terms of composition, basic foundation, and its relationship with the Commission. Finally, section four focuses on how to empower the court in terms of jurisdiction, independence, enforcement of its decisions, and funding. The author will draw inspiration from existing international and regional mechanisms/ as well as current initiatives in the African region. The author will comment on and make use of the Draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples\u27 Rights already in place, considering it as a possible treaty or convention-based amendment to the African Charter