By Luminous Jannamike, ABUJA

Leading civil society organizations, the Initiative for Research, Innovation, and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD) and Partners West Africa, Nigeria (PWAN), have urged the Federal Government to prioritize the domestication and implementation of the Maputo Protocol to protect women’s rights.

This call was made in a joint statement issued to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Protocol, also known as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.

The statement, co-signed by Princess Hamman-Obels (IRIAD) and Kemi Okenyodo (PWAN), emphasized the urgent need to intensify efforts in combating gender-based violence and ensuring women’s rights are fully realized.

“The Protocol has provided significant rights to African women and girls, with progressive measures on gender discrimination, women’s access to justice, participation in politics, and ending violence against women,” the organizations stated.

However, they said the evident patriarchal imbalance within African societies, including Nigeria, continues to create a significant gender gap.

The Maputo Protocol, adopted by the African Union (AU) in July 2003, addresses legal, cultural, and socio-political constraints on African women.

Despite ratification by 43 out of 55 African countries, women’s marginalization, gender-based violence, and rights violations persist.

Nigeria ratified the protocol on December 16, 2004. While full domestication is pending, aspects of the Protocol have been incorporated into Nigerian laws and policies, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.

Still, the two civil society organizations stressed that Nigeria has a long way to go in achieving gender equity and inclusion.

Their statement underscored the inadequate representation of women in politics, citing that out of 109 Senators and 360 House of Representatives of the 10th National Assembly, there are only 20 women.

“The parity of women’s participation in the political and public spheres is abysmal,” the organizations said, emphasizing the need for gender bills to enhance women’s participation in democratic governance.

IRIAD and PWAN commended the recent appointment of Dr. Toyin Sakirat Madein as the Accountant General of the Federation, noting that it signals women’s representation in public spaces and serves as an inspiration for other women.

However, the organizations expressed concern over escalating cases of violence against women and girls.

With the Maputo Protocol serving as a comprehensive framework to address legal, cultural, and socio-political barriers faced by African women, the CSOs highlighted its significance in tackling issues of marginalization, exclusion, and rights violations.

“Through concerted actions, we can obliterate the historical barriers impeding progress for women,” they concluded.