ABSTRACT
The Topic Under review examined the “Examining the Challenges of Promoting Gender Equality in Nigeria: A Case Study of United Nations (UN)”. Every human guaranteed inalienable rights both men and women, either by integral and indivisible part of universal human rights. The full and equal participation of women in political, civil, economic, social and cultural life, at the national, regional and international levels, Despite the impact of United Nations in promoting gender equality through conventions, treaties, charters and Nigeria as a state party and signatory to many international instruments that protect the human rights, equality and dignity of its citizens, Nigerian women’s struggle with gender inequality in the political sphere, socio- economic space and gender based violence.
The Study therefore revealed that based on the general assessment and analysis in this study of the Challenges of Promoting Gender Equality in Nigeria discovered that the responses to bridge the gap between men and women in Nigeria were effort in futility because despites the impacts by both National and International government to addressed the gender equality, the gender disparity still persist at higher rates in the country in many areas such as Political affairs of the state, Economic space and social-cultural segregation. The study suggested that Universal Declaration of human Rights treats, conventional, as well as National constitutional provisions should be strictly adhering to promoting gender equality and respecting the women in the country and their contribution toward the development of the society through seminars, conferences, group discussion, media etc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………………………………………………… i
DECLARATION………………………………………………………………………………………. ii
CERTIFICATION……………………………………………………………………………………… iii
DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………………………………… iv
ACKNOWLEDGMENT………………………………………………………………………………. v
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………………………. vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………………………. vii
1.1 Background to the Study……………………………………………………………………… 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………………………….. 3
1.3 Research Aims…………………………………………………………………………………… 4
1.4 Research Objectives……………………………………………………………………………. 5
1.5 Research Question ……………………………………………………………………………… 5
1.6 Research Proposition…………………………………………………………………………. 5
1.7 Signification of Study ……………………………………………………….. 6
1.8 Research Methodology …………………………………………………… 7
1.9 Theoretical Framework ………………………………………………………. 7
1.10 Scope and Limitation of the study………………………………………… 8
1.11 Definition of Terms ………………………………………………………. 9
1.12 Outline of chapters ………………………………………….……………… 10
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction………………………………………………………………. 11
2.1 The Concept of Rights …………………………………. …..………….. 11
2.1.1 Enforcement and Compliance with Human Rights ……………………. 14
2.2 The Concept of Gender …………………………………………….…… 15
2.2.1 Gender Equality …………………………………………………….…… 16
2.2.2 Gender Equity …………………………………………….………………… 18
2.2.3 The Worldview of Gender Roles………………………………………… 19
2.2.4 Cultural Gender Roles…………………………………………………… 21
2.2.5 The Status of Women……………………………………………………. 24
2.5 Application of theory………………………………………………………. 38
2.6 Summary…………………………………………………………………. 39
CHAPTER THREE: THE ROLE OF UNITED NATIONS IN AIDING GENDER EQUALITY WOMEN AND CHILDREN
3.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………… 41
3.1 Historical Development of Gender……………………………………………………… 41
- The United Nations Treaties ………………………………………………. 46
- The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women………………………………………………………………………………. 47
- Impact of United Nations on Gender Equality in Nigeria………………. 50
- Gender Equality and Sustainable Development Goals …………………. 50
- United Nations Projects on Gender Equality in Nigeria……………………. 53
- Promotion Women’s Peace in Nigeria…………………………………… 53
- Women’s Economic Empowerment/Adolescents….……………………. 54
CHAPTER FOUR: CHALLEGES CONFRONTING THE SUCCESS GENDER EQUALITY IN NIGERIA
4.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………… 56
- Gender Equality in Nigeria…………………………………………………… 56
- Challenges of Gender Equality in Nigeria…………………………………… 57
4.2.1 Political Limitation…………………………………………………………… 57
4.2.2 Economics Limitation………………………………………………………… 59
4.2.3 The Cultural Limitations……………………………………………………… 63
- The place of women in the constitution………………………………………. 73
- The Thirty-Five Percent Affirmative Action…………………………………………………………… 74
4.3 Responses……………………………………………………………………. 75
- United Nations and World Conferences on Women…………………………. 75
- Nigerian Constitution Position………………………………………………. 80
- Gender and Equal Opportunities (GOE) Bill 2016…………………………… 82
4.3.4 Labour Amendment Bill 2016………………………………………………… 83
- Enforceability and Justice Ability of Women’s Rights………………………. 84
- Policies and programmes in Nigeria towards bridging the gender gap………. 89
4.4. Major Findings………………………………………………………………… 91
4.5 Discussion of findings…………………………………………………………. 95
CHAPTER FIVE:
5.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS……………. 98
5.1 Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 98
5.2 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 100
5.3 Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………… 101
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………. 103
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The subject of gender has become a global phenomenon both within and international societies. Men and women both are entitled to inalienable rights and deserved to an equal footing to the full protection of their rights and freedoms as human beings (Okagbue, 1996). However, the evidence shows that women categorically as social being in almost everywhere were subordinate to men, although the degrees of their subordination were varies. The subordination of women predates the development of the cash economy, peasant agriculture, and more developed trade and industrial systems. While many analyses of the subordination of women focus on their economic roles, their subordination is also evident at the political and especially at the ideological level, where it is reflected in symbol systems that connect female/male with left/right, dirt/cleanliness, evil/good and other such world evolving dichotomies. Thus, women’s rights cannot be expected to emerge without changes in the political and ideological as well as in the economic sphere (Howard, 1993).
The Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was adopted in 1967. However, the subordinate status of women’s rights was apparent in the form of the document. The Declaration was a statement of principle, and did not have the force of a treaty. In the early 1970s, however, as the awareness of the scale of discrimination against women became increasingly obvious, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) argued that a treaty was necessary. In the year 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women (CEDAW) was adopted 1979. CEDAW begins with a reference back to the
Charter of the United Nations, thus connecting the idea of the rights of women with the fundamental ideas of dignity and human worth that underlie that document. The paragraph goes on to make reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the central prohibition of discrimination. The prohibition on discrimination clearly underlies the idea that men and women are equal in worth and dignity (Steiner, 1988; Bunch, 1990).
However, despite state parties subscribing to the standards set out in the Declaration, and undertaking the obligations contained in the International Covenants, ‘extensive discrimination against women continues to exist’. This means that women are not enjoying human rights, and are not participating in society on equal terms as men.
Other reference points are specified, and thus the championing of the rights of women is inseparable from the struggle against ‘apartheid, all forms of racism, racial discrimination, colonialism, neo-colonialism, aggression, foreign occupation and domination’. This is in turn linked to the valorization of state sovereignty. In the context of colonialism, the need to privilege the nation state was important; indeed, ‘social progress’ is explicitly linked to the right to self- determination and international respect for the sovereignty of those new states emerging from colonial domination.
From the religious point of view, the Quran states that” Men are maintainer of women as Allah has made some excel and others” (Asgar,1992). As noted by Asghar (1992) Quran 4:35 states women status as a concept of a weaker sex – “izzat”- and she ought to be protected by the man who is superior Sylvia (2015). To prove submissiveness, the Quran, expect the woman to lower her gaze and restraining her sexual passion, expect if her husband permits Mill (1911). Also from Biblical scriptures are replete with semblances of subjugation of women or infringement on
their rights. From the very first book of the Bible in the creation, the Almighty God created the woman from the ribs of the man. The creation of the man was more complex and involving than that of the woman. The status of women has, through the ages, been a cause of grave concern in every culture and in every clime. In some areas of the globe, it has passed the stage of sympathetic concern and has entered an era of aggressive feminism (Kalu, 1993). Cultural institutions, particularly religion, were often cited for their role in violence against women. The frequency with which women, the family, and the home are seen to overlap with culture indeed to be the main vessels for the maintenance and continuation of cultural and religious traditions is striking (Fall, 2003). Now, we believe that the earlier world order took a cue from the scriptures and the combination of culture and tradition to perpetuate the subordination of women before the efforts by the international community to promote equality between different groups in the enjoyment of human rights and the articulation of the norm that no particular group should be accorded less favorable treatment than the other.
Statement of the Problem
Gender inequality in our society today, is among the most prevalent forms of social inequality which exists all over the world, with different effects in different regions. These differences are primarily due to cultural legacies, historical development, and society. The issue of gender inequality has played a vital role in the cultural life of different spaces. It is deeply rooted in peoples’ experiences and influences the socio-economic and political direction of the society.
The status of women in the society is an outcome of the interpretation of religious text and the cultural and the institutional set-up of religious communities. The role of gender inequality is
obviously complex and it varies across time and space. However, it is pertinent for societal development that gender equality and the emancipation of women should be considered as important factors for the economic, social and democratic progress of Nigerian women.
Despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for all of the United Nations charter (1948), as well the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was adopted in 1967 were documented, gender inequality still prevalent all over the world. In Nigeria particularly, where men take lager percentage of socio-economic sphere, employment opportunities and political direction of the society. This process can be influenced by institutional norms, as well as culture and tradition, which are determined based on gender differences.
These are the problems confronting the women in Nigeria. Some of the problems for instance; low presentation in elected offices such as National Assembly, patriarchy, even in religious spaces, women restricted to go to some certain places or dress the way they want etc. These are the problems posed by the gender inequality and United Nations (UN) is trying to address. Apparently, that the status of the study of the role by gender also reflects the status of women in the society as a whole, while considering this fact; this study will examine the challenges of United Nation in promoting gender equality in Nigeria. It will x-ray the challenges confronting women’s rights protection, gender inequality in Nigeria. It will also go further to suggest the remedies for the situation.
Research Aims
This research will examine the challenges of promoting gender equality in Nigeria by United Nations (UN); the global trend on the need to promote growth and equal rights for men, women, boys and girls has led to the bone of the contention. Nigeria to this effects has not really
brought the desire needed change. Most women and children in different parts or regions in Nigeria are still undergoing human right violation. These include deprivation of quality education, decent training, poor healthcare, female circumcision, underage marriage and limited access to productive resources and political power.
In the light of this, this research will investigate the challenges confronting the promotion of gender equality in Nigeria, the impact of United Nations as case study.
Research Objectives
The main objective of this work is to examine the Challenges of United Nations (UN) in promoting gender equality in Nigeria. Other specific objectives are as follows;
- To examine the role of United Nations in promoting of gender equality in Nigeria.
- To identify and discuss the problems militating against the successful promotion of gender equality in Nigeria.
- To critically analyze the United Nation in conjunction with Nigeria government response towards promoting gender equality in Nigeria.
Research Questions
This research therefore seeks to answer the following questions:
- What are the impact of the United Nations in promoting gender equality in Nigeria?
- What are the challenges confronting the success of gender equality in Nigeria?
- What are the United Nation and Nigeria government response towards promoting gender equality in Nigeria?
