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Claiming Human Rights - in Nigeria

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

Nigeria is an English-, Hausa-, Igbo- and Yoruba-speaking country in West Africa. With an area of 923,768 square km it borders the Atlantic Ocean on its south. On a global scale, its population density is medium. The capital of the country, which became independent on 1 October 1960 from the United Kingdom, is Abuja. Nigeria is a member of the regional economic communities ECOWAS and CEN-SAD.

With a Human Development Index of 0.51 Nigeria ranks 158th of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 151.3 million inhabitants at birth is 47 years, population growth is 2.2 percent per year. GNI is 1,160 US-$ per capita. External debt is 6.0 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 63.8 percent.

In as far as Nigeria has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of Nigeria and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of Nigeria may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since Nigeria is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of Nigeria may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which Nigeria has ratified.

Since Nigeria is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

Nigeria has joined the International Criminal Court, it may thus be called upon in case of severe crimes.

Signature:   Ratification: 1993 (accession) Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report: 1996 Last concluding observations: 1996  
Signature:   Ratification: 1993 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report: 1996 Last concluding observations: 1998  
Signature:   Ratification: 1967 (accession) Reservations: no/non Competence CERD acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2004 Last concluding observations: 2007  
Signature: 1984 Ratification: 1985 Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol: 2000 Ratification optional protocol: 2004 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2006 Last concluding observations: 2008  
Signature: 1988 Ratification: 2001 Reservations: no/non Article 22 competence acknowledged: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 1990 Ratification: 1991 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2009 Last concluding observations: 2010  
Signature:   Ratification: 2009 (accession) Reservations: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature:   Ratification: 2009 Reservations: no/non Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2007 Ratification: 2010 Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 2007 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1983 Ratification Protocol African Court: 2004 Ratification Children's Charter: 2001 Ratification Maputo Protocol: 2004 Last State report: 2008  
International Criminal Court joined: yes/oui  
Country Rapporteur:   
National Human Rights Institute: yes/oui  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 12:18