Women, peace and security in Nigeria: Examining the domestic and international legal framework

The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda is regarded by many as the most significant global framework for increasing the role ofwomen in conflict resolutions. The risks to women and children, and the importance of involving women in peace issues have beenrecognized as a global issue. There is a growing understanding of violence against women, generally and particularly in armed conflict including the issues of sexual violence. Women are often excluded from peace processes, reflecting the fact that the majority of the actors in conflicts are men and the masculine nature of conflict and peace. Hence this paper considers and highlights a range of ways in which women’s capacity can be developed so that their full inclusion in all peace and security developments can be achieved. This paper explores the issue of women participation in peace and security in Nigeria with special focus on the challenges and prospects. From the research, the paper finds that there exists a gap between the gender’s participation in issues relating to Peace and Security in Nigeria. The paper thereby recommends that the Nigerian government should develop legal frameworks and policies that will promote the inclusion of women in conflict resolutions. Keywords: Gender, Women, Peace, Sexual Violence, Security

Appraisal of Nigeria’s Obligation on Adolescents’ Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

The positive obligations on states parties to ensure covenant rights will only be fully discharged if individuals are protected by the state, not just against violations of covenant rights by its agents, but also against acts committed by private persons or entities that would impair the enjoyment of covenant rights…. (Paragraph 8 General Comment 31 Human Rights Committee) This article explores the responsibility of the Nigerian state towards ensuring female adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care information and services especially contraceptive information and services. It thereafter, considers the stance of the treaty monitoring bodies to state parties’ obligations on the right to access SRH care information and services. The article concludes by declaring the need for judicial activism and stricter monitoring of the government’s activities in other to ensure that adolescents enjoy actual access to SRH care information and services

Adolescent girls’ access to contraceptive information and services in South Africa : what is going wrong? (2)

Various policies have been developed to serve as developmental guides for South Africa’s youth.127 The current National Youth Policy (NYP), which builds upon previous policies, seeks to address policy gaps and challenges that remained with a view to recommending new measures that will be beneficial to youth development.128 Objectives of the NYP include the integration of youth development into the mainstream of government policies, curbing the marginalisation of young people and strengthening the capacities of young people to personally take charge of their well-being, so that, ultimately, they can realise their potential.http://www.lexisnexis.co.zaam2016Mercantile La

Adolescent girls' access to contraceptive information and services : an analysis of legislation and policies, and their realisation, in Nigeria and South Africa

Adolescents’ early sexual debut contributes to their huge burden of sexual and reproductive ill-health, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Reports continually reveal that female adolescents, in particular, constitute a large portion of the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide. Other consequences associated with early adolescent sexuality include unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions and sexually-transmitted infections. In light of this, the article analyses approaches adopted by Nigeria and South Africa in fulfilling their international law obligations to respect, protect and fulfil adolescent girls’ right to access contraceptive information and services, specifically, in their domestic legislation, policy documents and court decisions. Sexuality education is compared, as well as actual access. There is extensive evidence of the measures put in place to ensure adolescent girls’ access to contraceptive information and services in Nigeria and South Africa. Although the level and extent of the barriers faced by adolescent girls when accessing contraceptive services and information vary, the consequences are similar: We find that Nigerian and South African adolescent girls, generally, lack access to contraceptive information and services. Despite measures to ensure adolescent girls’ access to contraceptive information and services in Nigeria and South Africa, several gaps remain.http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/ju_ahrljhb201

Female adolescents' evolving capacities in relation to their right to access contraceptive information and services : a comparative study of South Africa and Nigeria

Adolescents’ early sexual debut contributes to their huge burden of sexual and reproductive ill-health, especially in sub-Saharan African countries. Reports continually reveal that adolescents in general, and female adolescents in particular, constitute a large portion of the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide. Other consequences associated with early adolescent sexuality include unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually-transmitted infections. Whilst international human rights instruments and national legislation recognise the importance of considering the adolescent child’s evolving capacities, this becomes contentious when adolescents’ access to contraceptive information and services and other sexual and reproductive health issues are involved. The article examines Nigeria’s and South Africa’s national legislation regarding adolescent girls’ right to independently access and consent to confidential contraceptive information and services in accordance with the recognition of their evolving capacities provided for under international human rights law. We argue that a major impediment to adolescent girls’ contraceptive use relates to the assumption that they are incapable of making rational decisions or of consenting to sexual and reproductive health care services without parental Involvement. The article concludes that allowing adolescent girls to consent independently, especially when accessing contraceptive information and services, is a necessary step in achieving increased adolescent contraceptive use, so affirming their evolving capacity in decision-making.http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=13488am201

Appraisal of the sexual and reproductive health of women in Nigeria from the perspective of internally displaced persons

Women and girls, in times of conflict, have a heightened need for sexual and reproductive health care services due to their increased risk to Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs) including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), unwanted pregnancies, maternal mortality and morbidity, as a consequence of gender-based sexual violence. Access to sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental human right that is central to achieving the 2030 Agenda as emphasized in the Sustainable Development Goals in relation to good health and wellbeing, and gender equality. The paper aims at inquiring into the limitation of access to reproductive rights by internally displaced women. It adopted a doctrinal research methodology. The research has shown that during crises and war, availability of health care services including sexual and reproductive health services are limited. Hence, internally displaced women are left with no choice than to seek important sexual and reproductive health care services from local midwives and patent medicine vendors. This article reviews the impact of crises and internal displacement on women’ access to sexual and reproductive health care services including the numerous challenges that occur. The paper finds that there is urgent need to sincerely and progressively expand access to essential health services that are made available to internally displaced women to include an integrated package on sexual and reproductive health care, specifically tailored to meet women needs

Female adolescents’ reproductive health rights : access to contraceptive information and services in Nigeria and South Africa

As adolescents grow into adulthood and begin to engage in sexual relations, they become vulnerable to sexual and reproductive ill-health. Female adolescents, in particular, are susceptible to sexually-transmitted infections such as HIV, and are at risk of unintended pregnancies. In sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, the HIV and AIDS epidemics are spreading rapidly, also among the adolescent population. Because of this, the imperative to invest in the sexual and reproductive health of female adolescents, who bear a heavier burden of sexual and reproductive ill-health, cannot be greater. Hence, there is a need to advocate the protection of female adolescents’ reproductive health rights and their access to contraception. The thesis examines the nature, extent and realisation of the right of adolescent girls in Nigeria and South Africa to reproductive health care through their access to contraceptive information and services. Specifically, it investigates the barriers which make access to contraceptive services and information impossible, despite the existence of national, regional and international human rights frameworks which guarantee adolescent girls access to sexual and reproductive health care services and information. Also, the consequences occasioned by the existence of these barriers are examined. The thesis argues that in order to put a halt to the negative impact associated with adolescent sexuality, it is necessary that the various obstacles in the way of adolescent girls’ access to contraceptive services and information be removed. Especially, the thesis maintains that society in Nigeria and South Africa undergoes wide-ranging changes in attitude since the benefits resulting from such changes with regard to female adolescents’ access to contraceptives will greatly overshadow its supposed undesirable and harmful effects.Soos wat adolessente volwasse word en begin om in seksuele verhoudings betrokke te raak, word hulle kwesbaar vir geslags- en reproduktiewe gesondheidsprobleme. Veral adolessente meisies word blootgestel aan seksueel-oordraagbare infeksies soos MIV, en hulle loop die risiko van ongewenste swangerskappe. In sub-Sahara Afrika, in die besonder, versprei die MIV en VIGS epidemies baie vinnig, ook onder die adolessente bevolking. Dit is dus van die uiterste belang dat daar belê word in die seksuele en reproduktiewe gesondheid van adolessente meisies omdat hulle ʼn swaarder las dra van seksuele en reproduktiewe gesondheidsprobleme. As gevolg hiervan is daar ʼn behoefte daaraan om die beskerming van adolessente meisies se reproduktiewe gesondheidsregte, asook hulle toegang tot voorbehoedmiddels, te bepleit. Die verhandeling ondersoek die aard, strekking en verwesenliking van die reg van adolessente meisies in Nigerië en Suid-Afrika tot reproduktiewe gesondheidsorg deur middel van hulle toegang tot inligting betreffende voorbehoedmiddels en -dienste. In die besonder ondersoek dit die struikelblokke in hul weg wat verhinder dat hulle toegang tot voorbehoedmiddels en -dienste geniet, ten spyte daarvan dat daar op die nasionale, regionale en internasionale vlakke menseregte-raamwerke bestaan wat adolessente meisies se reg op toegang tot seksuele en reproduktiewe gesondheidsorgdienste en –inligting, waarborg. Die reperkussies van die bestaan van hierdie struikelblokke word ook ondersoek. Die verhandeling voer aan dat, om die negatiewe impak geassosieer met adolessente seksualiteit te bekamp, dit nodig is om die vele struikelblokke in die weg van adolessente meisies se toegang tot voorbehoeddienste en –inligting, te verwyder. Die verhandeling voer aan dat die gemeenskappe in Nigerië en Suid-Afrika ʼn verreikende verandering in hul gesindheid sal moet ondergaan, aangesien die voordele wat dit vir adolessente meisies se toegang tot voorbehoedmiddels teweeg sal bring die veronderstelde onwenslike en skadelike gevolge aanmerklik sal oortref.Thesis (LLD)--University of Pretoria, 2014.tm2015Centre for Human RightsLLDUnrestricte

Adolescents’ access to emergency contraception in Africa : an empty promise?

Governments have committed themselves at international human rights fora to prioritising programmes aimed at adolescents’ development and wellbeing, particularly their educational and health needs. Such programmes include those focused on adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health, and are aimed at enabling adolescents to manage in a positive manner their awakening sexuality. African countries, too, have focused their efforts on adolescents. Despite commitment by governments, an alarmingly high rate of unintended pregnancies among Africa’s adolescents persists. These unintended pregnancies are associated with a low level of contraceptive use, especially among adolescent girls who face significant discrimination and inequality when accessing contraceptive information and services, including specific information on where and how to access emergency contraceptives. This situation flies in the face of the realisation that unconditional and unhindered access to emergency contraceptives is an important tool to protect adolescent girls from sexual ill-health and maternal mortality and morbidity. In light of obstacles in the way of adolescent girls’ access to emergency contraception in the African region, the comments of the various treaty-monitoring bodies are highlighted in the article in order to strengthen arguments in support of African adolescents’ access to emergency contraception. Additionally, mechanisms which may be adopted to overcome obstacles that hinder adolescents’ access and use of emergency contraceptives are examined in order to determine whether they may be beneficial in ensuring African adolescents’ access to emergency contraception. Although the study is comparative in nature, specific attention is paid to Nigerian adolescents’ access to emergency contraception.http://www.ahrlj.up.ac.zaam2018Public La

Adolescent girls' access to contraceptive information and services in South Africa : what is going wrong? (1)

Die realiteit is dat adolessente deesdae vroeër in seksuele verhoudings betrokke raak, en sal kwesbaar word vir geslags- en reproduktiewe gesondheidsprobleme. Veral adolessente meisies word blootgestel aan seksueel-oordraagbare infeksies soos MIV, en loop verder die risiko van ongewenste swangerskappe. Ten spyte van die bestaan van internasionale en regionale menseregte-instrumente wat die reg van adolessente meisies op toegang tot voorbehoedsinligting en -dienste verskans, en eweneens ten spyte van Suid-Afrika se grondwetlike en siviele regsraamwerk wat hierdie regte waarborg, is daar vele struikelblokke wat verhinder dat adolessente meisies toegang tot voorbehoedsinligting en -dienste geniet. Hierdie artikel ondersoek dus, eerstens, die Suid-Afrikaanse regsraamwerk wat die reg op toegang tot seksuele en reproduktiewe gesondheidsorginligting en -dienste van adolessente meisies waarborg en, tweedens, die struikelblokke wat hierdie meisies teëkom wanneer hulle poog om toegang tot sodanige dienste te verkry. Derdens word die reperkussies van die bestaan van hierdie struikelblokke vir adolessente meisies ondersoek. Ons voer aan dat om adolessente meisies te verhinder om toegang te geniet tot realistiese en omvattende voorbehoedsinligting en -dienste baie nadele vir die gemeenskap inhou. Aangesien die verwesenliking van goeie geslags- en reproduktiewe gesondheidsuitkomste nie net daarvan afhang dat 0 staat regionale en internasionale menseregte-instrumente ratifiseer nie, of die regte ook in sy munisipale regstelsel inkorporeer nie, moet ouers en ander belanghebbendes ook gewillig wees om 0 gesindheidsverandering te ondergaan teenoor adolessente se seksualiteit.The article is based on sections of the first author’s LLD thesis entitled Female adolescents’ reproductive health rights: Access to contraceptive information and services in Nigeria and South Africa (UP 2014). (http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46234)http://www.lexisnexis.co.zaam2016Mercantile La