Alliances for Africa leads CODMAP Advocacy Visit to the National Orientation Agency, Abuja, Nigeria for the promotion and popularization of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol)

Empowering Women and Girls: Bridging the Gap with the Maputo Protocol

Alliances for Africa (AfA), supported by Equality Now! and Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR), is actively engaged in a regional project with a singular goal – the domestication of the Maputo Protocol. This pivotal document, officially known as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women and Girls in Africa, ensures comprehensive rights for women and girls and encompasses innovative provisions to curb violations and enhance protection.

Project Objective: Despite Nigeria’s ratification of the Maputo Protocol on December 16, 2004, full domestication and implementation of its progressive provisions are yet to be achieved. This lag has resulted in the ongoing marginalization, discrimination, and indiscriminate violation and abuse of the human rights of women and girls in Nigeria. The CODMAP team recognizes this challenge and aims to address it by fostering awareness and enlightening Nigerians, especially women and girls, about the provisions of the Maputo Protocol. This entails leveraging the platforms of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to create awareness and integrate CODMAP into NOA’s programs.

Key Highlights:

• The advocacy visit commenced with a warm welcome from Mrs. Theresa Maduekwe, Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
• The CODMAP team, constituting eight members from various organizations, introduced themselves and emphasized the importance of creating a safe environment for women and girls.
• Mrs. Blessing Duru, the CODMAP team leader, shared insights into CODMAP’s mission and purpose, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach to achieve a just and equitable society for women and girls.

Challenges Identified: The primary challenge identified during the discussion was the scarcity of funds at NOA, hindering extensive public engagement and awareness activities.

Recommendations:

• Capacity building and training for the Agency’s program officers to better understand the Maputo Protocol and effectively communicate its provisions.
• Utilize NOA’s social media platforms to regularly publicize the contents and provisions of the Maputo Protocol.
• Collaborate on creating online content for increased public awareness and share it with the communication officer for posting.
• Forge a stronger partnership with NOA, endorsing them as a partner to unlock potential funding opportunities. 
• Propose a joint road walk with NOA to create awareness about the Maputo Protocol, attracting media presence for maximum impact.

Conclusion: The CODMAP team expressed enthusiasm for ongoing collaboration with NOA, aligning strategies to optimize public awareness campaign efforts. They emphasized the importance of leveraging public awareness campaigns for wider reach and impact. The journey to realizing a society that upholds women’s and girls’ rights continues, fueled by collaboration and dedication.