Towards 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) CODMAP pays Advocacy Visit to International Federation of Women Lawyers, Abuja, Nigeria.

Coalition for the Domestication of the Maputo Protocol (CODMAP) pays an Advocacy Visit to the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Abuja, Nigeria.

Despite the ratification of the Maputo Protocol by the Nigerian Government since December 16, 2004, she is yet to domesticate and implement all the progressive provisions hence the constant marginalization, discrimination and indiscriminate violation and abuse of the human rights of women and girls in Nigeria. There are inconsistencies and limitations in the domestic laws and policies that have placed restrictions on the extent women and girls can exercise their rights, stripping women of their fundamental human rights.

Due to these aforementioned challenges, the CODMAP team paid the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) an advocacy visit to discuss how we can partner with her to achieve the project goal knowing the pivotal role and responsibility of FIDA in advancing the rights of women and the rule of law.

The CODMAP  Advocacy team which constituted of eight (8) members has participants from Alliances for Africa (AfA), Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), International Federation of Women lawyers (FIDA), Owerri, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Bayelsa State Gender Initiative team. The visiting team were received with a welcome remark by the Director of FIDA, Barr. Amina Agbaje.       

Speaking to the purpose of the visit, Mrs Blessing Duru program manager of Alliances for Africa and the CODMAP tean lead appreciated the Director of FIDA for making out time to see the team even in her busy schedule. She gave a brief introduction of the Coalition for the Domestication of the Maputo Protocol (CODMAP). She said CODMAP is a body instituted by Alliances for Africa on the 12^th of May, 2022 which constitutes of both state and non-state actors with a vision of ensuring a just and equitable society for women and girls, and a mission of ensuring that the domestication and implementation of all the protocol’s provisions are accessible to all women and girls in Nigeria. In summary, the CODMAP team has the mandate to create safe space for women and girls in Nigeria and being in existence for 1year identified gaps, and is seeks to partner with the International Federation of Women Lawyers to address these gaps by lending their voice towards the domestication of the Maputo Protocol.

Challenges:

Speaking on the identified gaps, Mrs Duru said there is no awareness of the protocol both in the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the government, low awareness of the Protocol in women and girls and there is scarcity of young female lawyers and absence of knowledge of the Maputo Protocol amongst lawyers.

The Director of FIDA- Mrs Amina Agbaje  reaponding to the team acknowledged the fact that there is zero knowledge of the protocol both in the national and regional levels.

The Director and the staff spoke on different strategies used by FIDA to share knowledge amongst lawyers which includes:

• Young lawyers are given topics on key legislatures with low knowledge on to make researches and present, prior to any of their meetings as energizers. The topics will be discussed by them hence increasing their knowledge on them.
• Mentorship committee: Older lawyers pass the baton of knowledge to younger ones

Recommendation on strategies that can be used to popularize the document, drive conversation on the Maputo Protocol hence necessitating the achievement of the project goal include:

• Leverage on the FIDA week in all the branches of the country to have discussions around the protocol
• FIDA National to give directive for awareness creation for it to be taken seriously
• Training of lawyers who have the potential to understand and train other lawyers, creating a pool of lawyers to share knowledge. The trained lawyers will in turn train the program officers of the National Orientation Agency
• Training of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ)
• Leverage on the upcoming Annual African Regional Congress in August
• Printing of simplified copies like IEC materials to make it basic enough for everyone to understand it.
• FIDA branches should hold seminars to dissect the topic
• Creating awareness leveraging on FIDA’s TV/radio programmes
• To do a press statement at the national press conference
• FIDA Imo to organize a virtual training of students lawyers/undergraduates from Imo State University
• Physical sensitization of student members of FIDA
• FIDA to get involved in the African sub-region and leverage the space

Action points

CODMAP  agree and strategize on specific activities and the number of lawyers that would be trained according to budget. 

Barr. Kamila gave the vote of thanks, appreciating Mrs Amina for her interest, support and her productive input towards the project goal.