Although HIV/AIDS was first discovered in Nigeria in 1985, the existence of the scourge was not taken seriously until 1991. Ever since then, human rights violations of patients who openly disclose their status have been on the increase.
From outright discrimination at the place of work to ejection from residential quarters, complete segregation from the society by members, unending woes appear to be the portion of those who seem brave enough to declare their HIV/AIDS status.
On the surface, the Government seems to be trying its best to whittle down the effect of the scourge by providing free anti retroviral drugs to be dispensed at treatment centers in the Country, embarking on mass media campaign to encourage the citizens to know their HIV status, free HIV tests etc, in-depth analysis reveal that a lot more needs to be done if this battle against HIV/AIDS is ever to be won.
In Nigeria, there are no laws protecting HIV patients against any form of discrimination or guaranteeing their privacy and liberty. Confidentiality remains a big problem in combating the scourge of HIV/AIDS as healthcare workers, with no health insurance scheme try hard to protect themselves from the inherent risks.
The thought of getting infected due to the inefficiency and carelessness of the healthcare practitioner at the hospitals where the test ought to be conducted sends jitters down the spine of anyone who has summoned up enough courage to take advantage of the Government’s free HIV testing. Truthfully, the fears of such individuals are founded after a three weeks old baby was ‘mistakenly’ transfused HIV infected blood in a teaching hospital in Nigeria. For many, ignorance is simply bliss.
Perhaps, more worrisome is the fact that, Nigeria, with over 3 million people infected with the HIV virus spread across its 36 States, 109 senatorial districts and 774 local Government can only boast of 66 HIV treatment centres.
The Government’s process of criminalizing same sex marriage and some religious denomination’s policy of denouncing the use of contraceptives also interferes with the accessibility and effectiveness of preventive measures against HIV/AIDS.
The big question remains, with all this loopholes, can the battle against HIV/AIDS ever be won?
Dr. Danny Sriskandarajah, Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, talks about the Commonwealth Conversation, the largest public consultation ever undertaken about the future of the Commonwealth. He says that the profile of the Commonwealth worldwide is worryingly low, and that the Commonwealth must now revitalise itself to become more relevant, especially to young people. He also talks about the benefits of the exchanges that take place across the Commonwealth family, but adds that Commonwealth civil society organisations are under-utilised and need to reach out to more people.
Development is not synonymous with economic growth alone. It is a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence. As such, development is inseparable from culture. (UNESCO)
Increasingly, the development monster is altering the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. High rise buildings and expansion of heavy industry is not only destroying the natural environment and traditional lifestyles, but also creating a sense of alienation and dislocation; a metal beast barrelling ahead like a tornado, crushing the soul of a people in its wake.
In the last several years there has been an on-going battle in the south-west region of Trinidad. Economic development initiatives such as the planned construction of an Aluminium Smelter, a Steel Mill, a port for the Mill and the now completed Water-Taxi service are not only threatening the health and well being of communities in these areas but are also decimating the natural landscape, destroying ecosystems and fishing grounds and eliminating traditional lifestyles and livelihoods particularly in the artisanal fishing and subsistence agriculture sector.
Female Genital Mutilation which involves the partial or total removal of the external female genital organ or other injury to it has no doubt remained a persistent nuisance for most African Countries, Nigeria inclusive.
This practice, usually carried out by inexperienced women with crude implements, has continued to cause mental and physical depression, pain, painful intercourse due to scar tissue blocking the vagina and labour complications from excessive scar tissue, permanent disabilities and even deaths of numerous females in Nigeria.
From the puberty rites of tradition to the desire to prevent promiscuity in females, personal hygiene etc, so many reasons has been advanced by proponents of this act to justify their deed. To them, the excruciating pains suffered by their patients who are neither given antibiotics or anesthesia is a little price for the ‘protection’ guaranteed by the process.
In Nigeria, the commitment of the Government does not go beyond the papers as there are no federal laws outlawing this barbaric custom. The country thus remains one of the 27 countries in Africa where Female Genital Mutilation is still practiced. This is despite the fact that Section 34(1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states ‘no person shall be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment’.
In 2002, the legislative arm of the Country attempted to pass a law prohibiting Female Genital Mutilation. This anticipated law proposes a two years imprisonment jail term or an option of 15,000 naira (100 dollar) for the offender. However, like all other women rights bill, this bill has remained what it is since 2002, just an attempt.
Again, I am asking when will this lip service to women’s rights end?
The British Council, in collaboration with the Royal Commonwealth Society, in the build up to this year Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad & Tobago, are inviting you to put a date in your diary and participate in a series of live and interactive Virtual Events being held throughout the day on Tuesday 3 November 2009.
Each of these Events will focus on a particular theme and will include a live web video broadcast, a live Q & A / Debate session, Issues polling and links to relevant documents/links.
Additionally, you will need a fast internet connection to view the live video.
The Event Schedule for the day is: Session 1 – 11.00hrs GMT
Climate Change and the Environment Climate change is not just an environmental issue: it’s an economic issue, a security issue and an issue which is already affecting all of our lives. All the science that has been produced over the last year shows growing urgency, and climate change negotiations are probably the most complex international negotiations ever undertaken. What will be the consequences if there is no positive and definitive outcome in Copenhagen? What should Commonwealth leaders, who are meeting in Trinidad just days before Copenhagen, be saying?
Presenter(s): Mr David Hill, Deputy Director International Climate Change, Department for Energy and Climate Change Representative from the Young Commonwealth Climate Summit Dr David Viner, Programme Leader - Climate Change, British Council (Chair)
Youth Voice Nearly two billion people now live in the Commonwealth, and half of these are under 25. The future of the Commonwealth belongs to young people and they should be empowered to be part of decision-making processes that affect their social, economic and political well-being. Take part in this session and hear what young people themselves think about the critical issues of today.
Presenter(s): Tom Le Feuvre, British Youth Council Barbara Soetan, Young Advocate of the Year Claire Anholt, Youth Programmes Manager and Chair
The Commonwealth in the 21st Century The Commonwealth is 60 years old this year. How can it stay relevant to its people in the 21st Century? What should its global priorities be for the next 10 years? People across the Commonwealth are debating its future through the Commonwealth Conversation and this is your chance to have your say in shaping the future of the Commonwealth.
Presenter(s): H.E Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General Gerard Lemos, Acting Chair, British Council Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, Director Royal Commonwealth Society
How does Communication technology enhance the work of civil society organisations? From President Obama to major pop bands, people are using the Web to change their fortunes and chart new courses – running successful political campaigns, selling out concerts or raising funds. In this session, UN information technology specialist, David Galipeau will show you how social media and online communication can enhance advocacy and empower policy makers, civil society and local activists.
Presenter(s): David Galipeau, United Nations Matt O’Neill (Chair)
We only have to look at BBC’s World Challenge programme to appreciate the value of creativity and innovation and what these can do to change the world.
While the developed countries like the UK, Germany and USA push ahead with new technology, the underdeveloped word is sorely lacking in this area. We hear of trains that can run on magnetic fields and computers that no longer need booting and much, much more from the developed world.
The avenues for creativity and innovation are endless. Recycling quickly comes to mind. What with waste paper, glass, metal, rubber and plastics, industries should be springing up all over. This is a great way to employ masses of poor folks or to create self employment and booming trade in recycled materials. Every day we can see people scavenging dumps. What are they looking for? Waste they can sell like copper wire and bottles.
Sadly government scoffs at this and looks down at the poor man with disdain instead of seeing the potential for industry.
What are they doing to encourage creativity and innovation? Nothing. Trinidad and Tobago needs to be singled out for the reason that the ‘national music’ known to the world as steel pan came from a man who took an old oil drum and created the steel pan. Now Japan, I believe, leads the world in the manufacture of steel pans and has gone further to electrify them, so creating greater sounds.
Whole industries can be created from so many sub-sectors if governments will only listen: Agriculture, Medicine, Energy, Art and Culture, Music, Education are just some of the many areas where innovative ideas are waiting to unfold.
Do you think governments will ever pay serious attention to creativity and innovation as a means to economic development?
By Colin Robinson, CAISO: Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation, Trinidad and Tobago
Anybody? Questions of sexual citizenship cross-cut virtually every one of the eight topics on which CPF will focus. It’s just frankly impossible to “realise someone’s potential”, to borrow the theme of the last Forum, while stifling the expression of their sexuality or gender.
Human Rights: Sexuality and sexual identity is one area where human rights protections are weakest and where both civil, social, economic and other rights are flagrantly violated. Recognition of gender identity-related rights is far behind.
Economic Development: Discrimination and social stigma against those whose sexual practices or gender expression is non-normative make them especially vulnerable to economic marginalisation and force them into participation in shady and criminalised sectors of the economy.
Environment: The quest for sexual autonomy powerfully drives migration across borders as well as into urban areas.
Gender: At the core of state regulation of sexual orientation and gender identity is the goal of tightly policing the roles that particular genders should play. What is worse, as in the case of Trinidad & Tobago, is when states then explicitly exclude these clear questions of gender from their policies for gender and development.
HIV: Across the Commonwealth, criminalisation of same-sex behaviour diminishes access to information, services and support for those who practise it, and has contributed to significantly higher rates of HIV among men who desire and have sex with other men (MDSM). Pressure to practise heterosexuality also increases the challenge of controlling local epidemics, by increasing the likelihood of epidemics concentrated among MDSM feeding more generalised epidemics.
The abuse of children has never ceased to be source of concern for many across the globe. From child labour to child begging, domestic violence, child prostitution and now the latest in Nigeria, ‘the child witch syndrome’.
Despite its penchant for corruption, Nigeria is no doubt a deeply spiritual nation. With churches and mosques in all street corners, poverty seems to be the greatest motivation for the citizens to draw closer to God while retaining the hope for a better tomorrow.
From the death of a child or close relative to the loss of employment by the father who has not less than nine children to cater for and the nose-diving fortunes of the family which leaves them without shelter, having to take solace in the church and keeps the children out of school, the list is indeed endless.
In the meantime, someone must be responsible for the poverty induced calamities and guess who? If you say the child, you can’t be wrong!
The scene is all too familiar; the distraught father goes running to a religious gathering in search for help. The religious head takes a deep breath, asks how many children he has, before transcending into the realm of spirituality. The result, an unfortunate child is handpicked and the race to get him to confess begins.
From severe beatings with broomsticks by several people, to being forced to take a gulp of acid, the adults would stop at nothing to get the little child to confess.
The mentality is appalling! It’s a sort of completion out there. If your pastor doesn’t find a child witch in your family despite series of calamity, then it is certain the Holy Spirit has departed from him!
This has prompted a state in Nigeria to enact a Law against handpicking children and labelling them as witches. The law promises a ten year jail term for anyone who subjects a child to inhuman treatment in the process of purporting to cure, purge or exorcise a child of witchcraft.
The question is: Are these children being offered enough protection under the law?
Women’s organisations need the People’s Forum to share, strategise and take collective action. It was fought for so that citizens of the Commonwealth could create open, fair and non-partisan dialogue and wide participation. In this space for civic dialogue, women must continually remind citizens and states of the Commonwealth what they want from the CHOGM process and the Commonwealth community.
1.State commitments are not made real until there are budgetary funds and institutional resources put to their implementation. Gender responsive budgeting must be transparently applied so that women and girls, and subordinated groups of men and boys are not left behind. This is not practiced in Trinidad and Tobago, but it defines true leadership on achieving real democracy and poverty eradication. CHOGM 2009, step up!
2.Women’s issues are all issues, not just those that seem specific to one sex or gendered experience. Equality, equity and empowerment must underlie Commonwealth governments’ action on all the MDGs, especially MDG # 7: Ensuring Environmental Sustainability. Its achievement requires publicly accessible, cost-benefit analyses that holistically account for the impact of heavy industrialization on communities, ecosystems, family health, natural resources, public utilities and gender relations. Securing a say in transparent, accountable and sustainable development is exactly the struggle of local women fighting against a future aluminum smelter. CHOGM 2009, we are watching!
It seems, judging from the topics presented on this forum, that the whole issue of gender affairs and women’s rights will be a call for action by the CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago next month. We have read the stirring comments from Adepeju Mabadeje and lately, Dr. Gabrielle Hosein. I feel that government heads who are attending this meeting should better be prepared to listen to the loud calls for real action on women’s issues that are constantly swept under the carpet.
The issue of abortion rights is going to be back with a bang this time. Significant percentages of populations in developing and underdeveloped countries are calling for abortions to be legalised. In these countries, it seems that governments simply do not want to deal with the matter. So, the poor woman with an unwanted pregnancy is left alone with a big, very serious problem. Where will she turn? To someone who will perform an abortion with no kind words and no support. Is this right? ‘Mistakes’ can happen to anyone and indeed they happen quite often. It is time for the powers that be to listen! To bring a child into this world is the easy part. Bringing up the child is incredibly challenging for the poor and even the not so poor. You must have heard of parents who sell their children to survive in India.
More financial assistance must be given to the Family Planning Associations in developing countries and these should be headed by women. Women in difficult situations must have a place to turn and a supportive and soothing voice to guide them in these times.
Other issues not addressed sufficiently include sexual abuse, violence of the worst kind and low pay packets coupled with oppressive work conditions.
Although HIV/AIDS was first discovered in Nigeria in 1985, the existence of the scourge was not taken seriously until 1991. Ever since then, human rights violations of patients who openly disclose their status have been on the increase. 
based Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women
Recent comments