LEGAL HUB

  HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA: PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES Nigeria’s human rights are a broad, complex and evolving topic. Human rights in Nigeria have lots of challenges, and efforts have been put in place to reform some of those hurdles. Below is a discussion regarding human rights issues in Nigeria, with our focus more on the pressing issues, which are  freedom of speech ,  police brutality , and  child labor : 1. Freedom of Speech and Press Although the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, this right is often tampered with: Crackdown on Journalists and Activists : Journalists and media outlets have frequently faced harassment, arrests, or prosecution. High-profile journalists have been detained under laws because of statements published and made by them, either in criticism of the government. Social Media Regulations : The government has made attempts to regul...

WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY LAWS IN NIGERIA Nigeria has made numerous attempts in protecting women's rights by enacting laws, but the persistence of challenges is due to gaps in implementation, cultural norms, and the lapses between federal and state laws. Key legislation and the legal protection for women in Nigeria is discussed below. 1. Key Legislation Protecting Women in Nigeria a. Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP), 2015 The  VAPP Act  is one of Nigeria’s laws addressing gender-based violence. The Act spoken on rape, criminalizes spousal rape, stipulated life imprisonment for offender, protecting victims of domestic violence, prescribes penalties for offenders, and criminalizes Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and harmful widowhood rites and also identified economic deprivation as a form of abuse. Challenges Faced by VAPP, 2015 The  VAPP Act  is a federal law that applies only in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja). Unless a state ena...