The Maputo Protocol: Celebrating 20 years of failure to implement a Signed Treaty
I am double sure that a lot of Nigerians don't know anything about the Maputo Protocol,
Well, it would not be their fault now would it?
For a Treaty signed as far back as 2004 but not domesticated by the Nation, how can the citizenry know anything about it. Tsk.
Well, here's a little background, the Maputo Protocol is a Women' Right policy document the Nigerian state thought fit to adopt as something she can practice in Nigeria.
Adopted in 2003 by the African Union in Maputo, the Nigerian state, being a member state of the Union, coopted it the next year 2004 and since then, the 20 articles document has remained in the shelves and is still not domesticated.
For those who do not know what it means to domesticate a law or any legal document, it means to make it legal in a nation and to make for its possible enforcement.
So the Nigerian State which agreed to be part of the Protocol, adopted it since 2004, has refused to domesticate it for over twenty years now....
You are wondering what the consequence is right?
Well, for a country to have refused for over twenty years to domesticate a Treaty as simple as this, with just slightly over 20 articles, articles that speak of the very basic human rights, says a lot about the perception of women the state has.
A perception we can see everyday in the way women are treated on our streets and in offices.
May the celebration of 20 years of signing that treaty, wake this nation up to handle Women Rights Issues better. May we do better.