The Evolving Landscape of Women’s Rights in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects in the 21st Century
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Human rights represent fundamental entitlements inherent to all individuals, irrespective ofnationality, sex, ethnicity, religion, or status. Within this framework, women’s rights stand as indispensableguarantees of equality and dignity. This article critically examined the conceptual foundations of women’srights, tracing their development from normative principles to their codification in binding internationaland domestic instruments. It analyses the core international human rights framework, including theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants, the Convention on the Eliminationof All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and regional mechanisms such as the African Charter andthe Maputo Protocol; with particular emphasis on their application and limitations within the Nigeriancontext. The discussion highlights the supremacy of the 1999 Constitution, the non-domestication of keytreaties, and the inconsistencies within domestic legislation such as the Violence Against Persons(Prohibition) Act, 2015, and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. The article concludes byadvocating for strengthened international cooperation, comprehensive constitutional and legislativereforms, proactive judicial activism, and robust domestic enforcement mechanisms, alongside sustainedsocio-cultural transformation. These measures are essential to safeguard and advance women’s rights inNigeria and to ensure their full realization in the 21st century.
Author: Stanley Amaehule Esq., Chioma
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220043655