Source : - National Bureau of Statistics: Social Statistics in Nigeria , 2006, p. 38

ii. According to the 2006 CWIQ Report (earlier referred to), there is a growing evidence of increased females adult and youth literacy rates, primary school net enrolment and secondary school net enrolment nationwide.

Adult literacy is defined for persons aged 15 years and above who could read and write in any language. The rate was estimated as 64.2 per cent. Higher literacy rate was recorded for urban areas (78.6 per cent) than for rural areas (56.9 per cent). The gender estimates show 73 per cent for male and 55.4 per cent for females. The lowest literacy rate was recorded for the North-East zone (40.7 per cent), while the highest rate was recorded for the South-West (78.5 per cent).

The youth literacy rate for persons aged 15-24 years who could read and write in any language was 76.5 per cent with male recording 80.7 and females, 72.2 per cent. Three zones, South-West, South-East and the South-South recorded rates higher than the national average. Generally, youth literacy rates for males were higher than those for females at all levels.

The net national primary school enrolment rate was 62.4 percent. South-West (82.9 percent), South-East (82.4 percent), South-South (77.3 per cent) and North-Central (73.3 per cent) had rates higher than the national average. The proportion of males aged 6-11 years enrolled in primary school is 64 per cent, higher than that of females (60.4 per cent).

Net national secondary school enrolment rate (43.9 per cent) was much lower than that for primary. Disaggregation by sex showed that net secondary school enrolment for males was 45.9 per cent and 46 per cent for females. Secondary enrolment in the rural areas stood at 39.8 per cent and in urban areas, 59.8 per cent. As for the zones, the female figures were higher in the South-East and South-South zones than the corresponding figures in other zones. The female secondary net enrolment ranged from 22.6 per cent in the North-West to 66.0 per cent in the South-West when compared with male figures that ranged from 27.4 per cent in North-East to 66.0 per cent in the South-West.

iii. The Government allocation to educational sector has been increased steadily over the last 5 years; this has translated into greater access to education at all levels, thus encouraging both enrolment and completion, especially by females nationwide. Table 2 below on Nigeria in Figures Gender Indicator 2006 reveals.

Table 2: - Nigeria in Figures: - Gender Indicator by Sector.

SECTOR	NIGERIA	MALE	FEMALE
Population	140,003,542	71,709,859	68,293,683
Population with tertiary education (%)	6.00	7.50	4.50
Population with secondary education (%)	25.50	27.20	23.20
Distribution of household by sex of headed household (%)	100.00	83.40	16.60
Distribution of employees in Economic Activity (%)	100.00	78.90	21.06
Adult Literacy Rate (English/Main Nigerian Languages) (%)	65.70	74.60	56.80
Primary School Enrolment	22,099,553	12,182,055	9,917,498
Total number of Primary School Teachers	594,816	293,637	301,179
Secondary School Enrolment	6,255,522	3,459,007	2,796,515
Total number of Secondary School Teachers	155,555	100,341	55,214
Students Enrolment in Polytechnic (Number)	311,581	183,717	127,864
Students Enrolment in Fed. Colleges of Education (Number)	197,039	94,820	102,219
Students Enrolment in University (Number)	654,856	396,159	258,697
Students turn-out in Polytechnics (Number)	74,568	48,303	26,265
Graduate turn-out of Post Graduate Diploma (Number)	2,775	1,931	844
Graduate turn-out of Bachelor’s Degree (Number)	26,042	15,327	10,715
Graduate turn-out of Master’s Degree (Number)	8,385	6,352	2,033
Graduate turn-out of Doctorate’s Degree (Number)	428	336	92
Deployment of Youth Corps members	113,026	56,505	56,521
Registered members of Teacher’s Registration Council	598,751	304 , 659	294,092

7. ISSUE: - Please provide information about the impact of these activities, as well as of programmes listed in box 3.1 , on the reduction and elimination of harmful and negative socio-cultural patterns, particularly FGM. Please also indicate whether there has been follow-up to the activities and programmes mentioned in box 3.1 .

RESPONSE : - (FM of Health & FMWA Staff)

8. ISSUE: - Please indicate whether benchmarks for girls’ universal access and completion are in place, and progress made towards achieving such goals.

RESPONSE : - Information on Tables 1 and 2 under responses to issue number 6 above equally apply to the issues raised here.

9. ISSUE: - Please describe the impact of steps taken and indicate whether the intended goals have been achieved.

RESPONSE : - At the time of this report assessment of impact and achievement of goals in this regard is still in progress under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Education.

10. ISSUE : - Please provide more information regarding measures taken to rectify this situation, including temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention, to accelerate the increase in the number of female teachers at all levels.

RESPONSE : - Measures taken to rectify the wide gap between the number of female/male teachers and accelerate the increase in the number of numbers of female teachers at all levels include: -

Steady increases in government investment in tertiary education of females, has translated into greater access to colleges of education, polytechnics and universities, thus encouraging increase female enrolment, completion and progressive recruitment as teachers across the federation.

Tables 3 and 4 below reveal the slight changing patterns in Nigeria .

Table 3: - National Summary of Primary School Enrolment and Number of Teachers

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Total schools	49,306	51,870	59,174	50,741	50,741
Total enrolment	19,263,534	19,861,681	25,772,044	20,037,480	20,951,818
Total male enrolment	10,805,722	11,070,610	14,433,764	11,141,614	11,712,479
Total female enrolment	8,457,812	8,791,072	11,338,280	8,895,866	9,239,339
Total teachers	487,303	491,751	591,041	599,212	594,192
Total male teachers	0	0	0	295,121	293,286
Total female teachers	0	0	0	304,091	300,906
Total class rooms	80,515	110,889	139,098	193,096	193,096
Teacher/pupil ratio	40	40	44	33	35

Source : - NBS: - Social Statistics in Nigeria , 2003, p. 19

Table 4: - National Summary of Secondary School Enrolment and Number of Teachers

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Total schools	6,319	8,305	9,221	10,913	11,010
Total enrolment	5,528,384	6,292,164	7,171,304	5,388,734	5,422,611
Total male enrolment	3241566	3713864	1063475	3077911	3079832
Total female enrolment	2,286,818	2,578,310	3,107,829	2,310,823	2,342,779
Total teachers	143,315	163,348	180,278	154,021	156,635

Source : - NBS: - Social Statistics in Nigeria , 2003, p. 20

The summary of Education Trust Fund (ETF), Disbursement as at June 2006 supplied information from 2001 to 2005 categorized into different institutions by type of projects. The NBS Social Statistics in Nigeria , 2005 Report shows the total disbursement to institutions in the country. In 2001, N28, 434,746,012.00, was disbursed to the State Primary Education Boards (SPEBs), representing 77.69%. The Universities took fairly less share of the disbursements with 6.31%, while the senior secondary schools had 5.58%. However, Special projects had the least with 0.00%.

The year 2005 showed more improvement in disbursements of allocated funds with 42.70%, an increase over the previous years. Inter-Universities and Other Agencies maintained the top position on the priority list of beneficiaries, receiving 49.82%. State Primary Education Boards (SPEBs) and Senior Secondary Schools followed with 12.21% and 11.77% respectively, while Special Projects received the least with 0.05%.

Appraising the disbursements of the Education Trust Fund allocations over the past five years, it is appreciated that over Eighty-Seven billion Naira (N87, 620, 160, 476.00) was disbursed to the various institutions. Out of this, SPEBs received the single largest disbursement of 35.10%, while Inter-Universities and Other Agencies and Universities got 28.30% and 11.43% respectively. Special projects received the least disbursement with 0.68%

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

11. On Table 3.2: - Status of cases on violence Against Women.

ISSUE : - Please provide information about data collection efforts in place nationally, and at the state level, in regard to all forms of violence against women, including any population-based that might have been undertaken.

RESPONSE : - The Federal Government of Nigeria has established mechanism, known as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), responsible for collecting, compiling, analyzing, interpreting, publishing and disseminating statistical information relating to the socio-economic life and conditions of the people of Nigeria . This includes matters relating to gender and violence against women that are population-based and regular national surveys focused. It coordinates the development and management of official statistics in all the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, State Governments Statistical Agencies and Local Government Councils.

Among the key findings of the 2006 NBS Nigeria Core Welfare Indicator Questionnaire Survey (CWIQ) conducted to produce a nationwide welfare indicators for the population at national, zonal and state levels, was the prevalence rate of FGM as a form of gender-based violence. The findings revealed that 32.6 per cent was the prevalence rate of FGM in Nigeria . Surprisingly, the rate was higher in the urban (40.0%) than in the rural areas (29.0%) of the country. It was also higher in the Southern than in the northern states. While the South-South, South-West and South-East recorded 46.7%, 65% and 58.3% respectively, the North-Central, North-West and North-East recorded 14.5%, 2.0% and 1.7% respectively.

However the infrequency of surveys has been a source of gaps in the management of Nigerian National Statistical System. Hence the decision by the Government in October 2007 to establish a National Gender Data bank under the National Centre for Women Development, Abuja, a parastatal under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. The technical committee of the Gender Data Bank was inaugurated in 2007 and is currently mapping out strategies on the collection and management of data relating to all aspects of gender including violence against women in Nigeria . In 2007, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs also published its first ever Nigeria Gender Statistics Book.

12. ISSUES : - Please indicate whether the Government intends to adopt a comprehensive plan, or strategy to combat all forms of violence against women and girls.

RESPONSE : - Yes, the Government has already adopted a comprehensive and responsive National Gender Policy and Strategic Framework in May 2007 that seeks to combat all forms of violence against women/girls in Nigeria, among other things. This is in addition to the National Child Policy and Plan of Action, 2007.

TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION OF PROSTITUTION

13. ISSUE : - Please provide information on how implementation of the NAPTIP Act is being monitored.

RESPONSE : - The Agency’s Board has developed appropriate tools, templates and modalities to facilitate annual performance review. Strategies aim at: -

ensuring review of annual report of the Agency by a Stakeholders’ Forum and the Supervisory Ministry of Justice;

facilitating regular consultations with the Federal Ministry of Justice for assessing performance, impact of activities and progress towards policy goals, targets and compliance with policy prescriptions as well as ascertainment of levels of efficient and judicious use of resources by the Agency.

ii. ISSUE : - Please provide information about the number of cases investigated and those which were successfully prosecuted under this Act and the sentences that have been imposed on the perpetrators.

RESPONSE : - Between 2003 and April 2008, the total number of cases handled by the Agency stood at 75 (both internal and external trafficking)’ out of this total, 23 cases were investigated and prosecuted with 20 successful convictions secured across the federation. The range of sentences imposed have been between 1 year – 10 years imprisonment. The lower sentences have been for attempted offences. 41 cases are pending in various high courts nationwide. A few others discharged. For example, in the case of Attorney General of the Federation v. Hussaina Ibrahim and Anor (Kano State High Court. Judgement delivered on 27-6-2005), the two accused persons were found guilty of trafficking the victim to Saudi Arabia for prostitution and upon conviction were sentenced to 3 and 2 years imprisonment respectively without any option of fine.

In the case of AGF v. Mrs. Sarah Okoya (Edo State High Court. Judgement delivered on 19-11-2004) the accused was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour for initial attempt at trafficking her victim to Spain but ended up in the Republic of Cotonou for prostitution.

PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN POLITICAL AND PUBLIC LIFE

14. ISSUE : - What measures has the Government taken to increase the number of Women in elective/appointed positions, particularly in the National Assembly and the Local Government level, bearing in mind article 4, para 1 CEDAW and the Committee’s general recommendations 23 and 25?

RESPONSE : - Strategic measures taken between 2006 and April 2008 include policy declarations and progressive realization in the following instances: -

Progressive implementation of a policy declaration of 35% affirmative action in favour of women to bridge gender gaps in both elective and appointive posts at all levels by 2015.

The adoption on the national Gender Policy and its public presentation by the President in 2007 with specific objectives, targets and monitoring framework to pursue the progressive realization of the above policy declaration.

Election of the first women speaker in June 2007 though shortlived due to political crisis.

Increase in the number of female appointed to key portofolios like Head of Civil service, Environment, Health, Education, Aviation/Transport, and heads of agencies like NAFDAC, NAPTIP, BPE, NHRC, NCFR etc.

15. ISSUE : - What was the outcome of the National Political Reform Conference mentioned on page 61, and its impact on implementation of article 7 of the Convention? Please indicate how the recommendations of female stakeholders were taken on board by the above-mentioned conference.

RESPONSE : - The Report of the Constitutional conference influenced the 2006/7 Constitutional Reform though aborted due to political crisis between the Executive and the legislature. The female stakeholders recommendations were strategically mainstreamed in the final report that influenced the aborted constitutional reform. Hence impact could not be assessed and reported now. It is worth noting that the current administration has activated the constitutional and electoral reforms sure December 2007 and hope to conclude by December 2007.

EMPLOYMENT, POVERTY AND RURAL WOMEN

16. ISSUE : - Please provide information on mechanisms available to challenge discrimination at the work place and also indicate whether such discrimination has been challenged in the past. If yes, what was the outcome of such cases?

RESPONSE : - In addition to various competent courts of law across the federation, the National Public Complaints Commission established since 1975 and the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria established since 1996 constitute complementary mechanisms available to challenge discrimination at the work place, among others.

Information is not available at the time of this report in respect cases challenged and their outcomes.

17. ISSUE: - Please provide recent statistical information, disaggregated by sex and showing trends over time, on women’s overall labour force participation in the public and private sectors. Please also provide information on the wage gap between women and men in the private and public sectors, and clarify whether a law on equal pay for equal work of equal value exists, and its enforcement.

RESPONSE : - On recent statistical data disaggregated by sex, see below tables and figures.

According to the most recent statistical information published by the National Bureau of Statistics on the 2006 Nigerian Core Welfare Indicator Questionnaire Survey (CWIQ), gender division of labour and gender differential access to resources affect the development of the sexes .

Table 5 below of the Survey’s key findings shows that there is a gender bias by type of income generating activity. More females (57.9 percent) engaged in fish smoking activity than males (42.1 percent). Participation in food processing activities showed females leading with about 75 percent compared with 25 percent for their male counterpart. Females in age group 30-44 years had a higher participation rate (63.5%) while for males it was group 60 years and above (53%).

Table 5: - Percent distribution of participants in income generating activities by age and gender.

		5-14 yrs	15-29 yrs	30-44 yrs	45-50 yrs	60+ yrs	Total
Fishing smoking	Female	48.3	58.8	63.5	58.9	47.0	57.9
	Male	51.7	41.2	36.5	41.1	53.0	42.1
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Food processing	Female	58.3	75.1	84.6	75.2	61.5	74.7
	Male	41.7	24.9	15.4	24.8	38.5	25.3
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Soap making	Female	43.2	62.4	63.4	43.6	46.4	55.6
	Male	56.8	37.6	36.6	56.4	53.6	44.4
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Crop farming	Female	39.0	41.4	36.6	36.3	26.8	37.3
	Male	61.0	58.6	61.4	63.7	73.2	62.7
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Fishing	Female	35.5	33.4	32.9	29.4	23.1	31.2
	Male	64.5	66.6	67.1	70.6	76.9	68.8
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Tailoring	Female	56.3	75.1	68.9	51.9	30.2	66.5
	Male	43.7	24.9	31.1	48.1	69.8	33.5
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Trading	Female	56.0	66.8	67.0	66.7	62.5	65.8
	Male	44.0	33.2	33.0	33.3	37.5	34.2
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Other activity	Female	47.6	46.2	34.2	27.8	29.7	40.7
	Male	52.4	53.8	65.8	72.2	70.3	59.3
	Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

Source : - NBS, 2006 CWIQ Survey , Nigeria p. 213

According to the two recent sources of data published by the NBS on Quick National Employment Generation Survey (QNEGS), 2006 and Social Statistics in Nigeria Report 2005, employment population of government parastatals, private and other establishments engaged in activities like agriculture, fishing, manufacturing services, public administration, education, health and social work, etc., could be regular, casual, unpaid or self-employed.

NB: - See Table 2.18

(See p. 44 – QNEGS 2006)

Table 5.3 shows the percentage distribution of the working population by employment status, sex and activity in the year 2005. Employment status here includes the regular employee, casual employee, unpaid workers and self-employed worker. Agriculture recorded the highest percentage with 65.8% of the working population of males under unpaid-worker status, with their female counterpart having also the highest with 48.7%. Self-employment produced the highest with 54.2% also under Agriculture, while the female self-employed had the highest with 45.8% under wholesale and retail activity. In a reverse situation, however, employment activity like electricity, gas, water, financial services, mining, real estate and public administration, showed the lowest working population under causal, unpaid and self-employed workers with 0.00% each.

Similarly, the percentage distribution of the working population by employer, sex and activity in the year 2005 is displayed in Table 5.4a. Among the employers (Government, parastatals, private business and private person/household) of the working population, private business had the largest male employment of 49.10% through wholesale and retail trade. This was followed by government administration. Other large employers of the population were parastatals and private persons/households employing 35.80% of the population through females in wholesale and retail trade respectively. Private persons/households also employed 35.3% through males in wholesale and retail trade.

NB: - (Type tables 5.2 p.60, Tables 5.3-5.4a, p.61 and Tables 5.5 p.62) social statistics book)

Furthermore, according to the latest publication of the National Planning Commission titled: - Economic Performance Review, April/July 2006, the labour force has grown by 15.8% since 1999. This means that a net employment of 2.2% has been generated between 1999 and 2005. Unemployment has dropped from a peak of 18.0% in 2000, to 10.8% in 2005; lower by 1.7% than in the initial level of 12.50% in 1999. In relation to sex/gender, unemployment is decreasing faster with male than female as shown on table 8 below: -

Table 8: - Unemployment rate by gender: - 1999-2005

Sex	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Labour Force (millions)	47 m	50m	51m	51.23m	53m	54m	54m
Employment (millions)	41m	41.10m	44m	45m	47m	48m	48m
Male	53.60%	52.90%	54.80%	11%	15.10%	10.40%	10.37%
Female	46.40%	47.10%	45.20%	14.20%	14.70%	14.70%	14.65%

RESPONSE: - As at the time of this report, official information is not available on the wage gap between the sexes in both sectors of the economy.

RESPONSE: - Clarification on existing law and its enforcement: - Section 17(3) of Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes an obligation on all levels and arms of government to ensure the observation of and conformity with the directive principle of state policy on equal pay for equal work/value. The Courts in Nigeria are free to adopt a purposive interpretation of the non-justiciable provisions of chapter 2 in enforcing or arriving at decisions involving questions of equality and non-discrimination on any subject covered by CEDAW or any other legally binding treaty on Nigeria .

18. ISSUE: - Please provide such information, including any measures in place to support women entrepreneurs, and measures towards enhancing social security for this group of women workers.

RESPONSE: - Information on women in the informal sector: - sufficient statistical information have been provided under Response item 17.

In addition to the above, the NBS CWIQ 2006 key findings earlier mentioned revealed as follows: -

Access to Credit Facilities

Access to any resources is inter-related to the ability to collateral. Lack of access to land for example, reduces the access to credit facilities and other inputs needed for productive activities. A distribution by gender across various age-groups shows that access to credit was higher for the 30-44 years age group ( Statistical Table 9 ). However, one distinct feature shows that males aged 60 and above (16.9 percent) reported a higher access to credit compared to only 8.9 percent female for the same group.

NB: - Tables 10.4a and 10.4b – pp. 221 -222.

(becomes new table 9a and 9b)

Ac cess to Resources and Ownership

Statistical Table 10a showed that access to facilities and ownership of assets by age and gender was dominated by males. Lack of ownership of assets invariably deter access to agricultural inputs; agricultural extension services, storage facilities and other facilities since they are inter-related. As depicted by Statistical Table 10b, the younger age groups by gender has access to many facilities except ownership of land and a house.

Access to facilities and especially ownership of land and house shows a male dominance across the sub-categories. However, ownership of land and house shows a very large divergence by gender where nearly five times as many males stated ownership (land 15.8 percent females vis-à-vis 84.2 percent males; house 15.0 percent vis-à-vis 85 percent males). These results could be explained based on traditional right of males among many ethnic groups where ownership of land and houses were traditionally the right of males; and females access was mostly based on their relationship to men.

NB: - Tables 10.5a and 10.5b – pp. 224 -5

(becomes new table 10a and 10b)

RESPONSE: - Measures in place to support women entrepreneurs/enhance their social security include the following: -

i. Economic and social empowerment of the Nigerian women is in different stages, the Ministry of Women Affairs has transcend the initial stage of advocacy to action which involves various funding mechanisms for economic growth of the women, such as Micro-Credit Loan Scheme for Women, Women Fund For Economic Empowerment (WOFEE), Business and Development Fund for Women (BUDFOW) etc.

Women’s Fund for Economic Empowerment (WOFEE).

The Department of Women Affairs commenced the implementation of this new programme in 2005, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and the Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank. The purpose of the programme is to create a special funding facility to Nigerian women cooperative societies at the grassroots level thereby reducing the constraints faced by small scale women cooperatives in accessing loan from banks and other financial institutions.

As part of events that marked the 2005 International Women’s Day, the Honourable Minister distributed WOFEE cheques worth N6 million each to 8 states out of the initial 12 beneficiary States namely: Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Ondo, and Plateau States. The other four States that yet to collect their cheques are Anambra , Cross-River, Ebonyi, and Ogun .

The Ministry however has decided to open the scheme to all other States on first-come-first served basis using the laid down criteria.

WOFEE is designed as a revolving loan which will eventually spread across women cooperatives in different parts of the country and contribute to economic empowerment of women.

OUTCOMES :

WOFEE has taken off successfully in 8 States and has stimulated the governors of the benefiting States to make counterpart cost contribution of the Fund.

ii. The Business and Development Fund for Women (BUDFOW) is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development (FMWAS) specially to boost the financial bases of women entrepreneurs across the federation who have the potential to transmit from micro to small, medium or large scale operations.

The programme, a gender sensitive economic empowerment intervention, is a follow up to an earlier similar initiative of the Ministry tagged to Women’s Fund for Economic Empowerment (WOFEE), a group credit facility for women cooperative in the rural areas.

However, BUDFOW differs from WOFEE by targeting individual women entrepreneurs in every part of the country. Furthermore, BUDFOW is designed to follow through the business cycle of clients providing needed support financial, technical etc, for the growth and development of the business for better performance.

The Ministry is working in partnership with Bank of Industry Limited and the loan procedures under BUDFOW are designed to bridge gender gaps in the credit finance sector by reducing the rigorous conventional Bank procedures for accessing loans that have kept women marginalized in that sector.

In broad terms, the Ministry initiated BUDFOW with the intention of achieving the following aims:

To extend the Ministry’s efforts at providing soft loans for women’s economic empowerment to individual women entrepreneurs by creating a special funding window for them.

To energize women entrepreneurs towards reforming their approach to business enterprises by providing them with total support for business formulation and growth; and

To stimulate in other policy makers, the civil society and other stakeholders the interest of investing on women as a reliable tool for poverty reduction and rapid national economic growth.

The loan Beneficiaries will be able to have access to short term facilities, which have a maximum tenure of 24 (Twenty-four) months, inclusive of a moratorium period to be determined in line with the nature of the project.

Participants shall be expected to make equity contributions of 10% of the total loan sum approved for the said business, which can be in cash, equipment, or fixed structures.

Interest rate for the loan will be computed at 10% per annum inclusive of other charges. Other types of facilities include equipment supply, training and capacity building, creation of information and market network etc.

The Ministry and her partners on BUDFOW target an annual disbursement of over N200m, to reach 1000 women in the next two years, with a projection to reduce feminine poverty in Nigeria by 30% in 10 years.

Furthermore, the Ministry counts on support from all interest groups, stakeholders and most especially the cooperation of BUDFOW beneficiaries, for the growth and sustainability of the Fund.

It is expected that a reference institution for fast tracking women’s economic empowerment and reduction of national poverty profiles will emerge from consistent and successful implementation of the BUDFOW.

19. ISSUE : - Please describe the impact of this policy on women’s participation in the labour market. Are the provisions of the policy equally applicable in regard to employment in government and the private sector?

RESPONSE: - At the time of this report, there is no available information on the impact of the Gender Equity Policy on women’s participation in the labour market.

Yes the provisions of the policy apply equally to both the public/private sectors.

20. ISSUE : - Please indicate how these (NEEDS, SEEDS, LEADS) policies incorporate a gender perspective and contribute to the implementation of the Convention? Please indicate how implementation of these policies is monitored for the benefit of women?

RESPONSE: - NEEDS/SEEDS/LEEDS policies are apparently gender friendly and responsive to the needs of women by affirming Nigeria ’s support to the alleviation of numerous constraints into its development process. The policies explicitly entrench the following strategies aimed at translating CEDAW provisions into action: -

Provision of instruments and interventions for overcoming economic, social and political exclusion of vulnerable groups, including women and girls;

Table 11: - Targeted instruments for protecting vulnerable groups

Group	Instruments and interventions
Rural poor	Access to credit and land; participation in decision making, agricultural extension services; improved seeds, farm inputs and implements; strengthening of traditional thrift, savings and insurance schemes.
Urban poor	Labour intensive public works schemes, affordable housing, water and sanitation; skills acquisition and entrepreneurial development; access to credit; scholarships and adult education.
Women	Affirmative action (to increase women’s representation to at least 30 percent) in all programmes; education, including adult education; scholarships; access to credit and land; maternal and child health.
Youth	Educational entrepreneurial development; skills acquisition; access to credit; prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Children	Children’s Parliament; juvenile justice administration; universal basic education; education for girls, care of orphans and vulnerable children (children affected by HIV/AIDS) prevention and treatment of childhood diseases.
Rural communities	Water; rural development; electricity; schools; health facilities; communications.

Source: SEED Manual: A framework guide for development planning, National Planning Commission, 2005.

Equity, Equality before the law/access to justice, social order and well being;

Provision of adequate resources to enhance women’s participation in all aspects of national life;

Economic empowerment of all women;

Discouragement and minimization of patriarchy; and other cultural practices that militate against women’s self-identification and actualization;

Human capital development (education, health, skills acquisition); etc.

RESPONSE : - In addition to the inbuilt monitoring/evaluation framework as step 5 of the above policies, the new National Gender Policy 2006/7 of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs contains monitoring framework and indicators to ensure that women benefit from their implementation. These include: -

Monitoring inputs, the resources used to provide a service;

Monitoring outputs, the level of source provided;

Evaluating the impacts, the benefits women gain from the service in terms of better livelihoods and welfare;

Ensuring public participation in budget monitoring, public consultations, communication and benchmarking, etc.

21. ISSUE: - What steps is the Government taking to ensure that rural women benefit fully from all relevant strategies for rural development, including in the areas of education, health and economic development, and participation in decision-making? What measures are in place to enhance rural women’s access to justice, information, modern technologies, and to land?

RESPONSE: - Among the steps Government is taking to ensure that rural women benefit fully from all relevant strategies for rural development are: -

Progressive and Practical implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 1-3 and 5-6. The Nigeria MDG Report Card shows that the current policy environment or the President Yar’adua’s focused areas of the 7 point Agenda reveals the strong political will to sustain the implementation of pro-poor programmes aimed at reducing poverty and hunger by 2015; human capital development; development of physical infrastructure; improving governance, security and access to justice; promoting gender equality and socio-economic and political empowerment of women; improving maternal health and ensuring environmental sustainability by 2015. These laudable steps have raised some hope about the likelihood of achieving the MDG goals/objectives as reflected in table 12 below on Nigeria Core Welfare Indicators.

Table 12: - Nigeria Core Welfare Indicators

INDICATORS	1999	2005	Change
i	Life Expectancy	Male (years)	56.27	57.91	1.6
Female (Years)	54.85	56.35	1.5
ii	HIV/AIDS Prevalence Rate (%)	5.4	4.4	-1.0
iii	Housing Stats (Thousands)	156	374	218
iv	Student Enrolment	Primary School	17,907,010	22,099,533	23.4%
Secondary School	3,844,585	6,255,522	62.7%
University	312,344	779,253	149%
v	Adult Literacy	57.00	62.37	5.37
vi	Manpower	Employment (Million)	40.99	48.39	7.40
Unemployment %	14.80	12.79	2.0%

Source : - National Planning Commission: - Economic Performance Review, April/July 2006, p. 4

RESPONSE: - The new National Gender Policy, 2007, provides for a strategic framework and monitoring measures to enhance rural women’s access to justice, information etc as shown in table 13 below.

The strategies for achieving the policy goal and objectives are premised on the ‘ dual agenda ’ principle, which perceives gender equity and equality as beneficial not only to individuals (women and men), but also essential for producing an effective and efficient system, both at the macro (national) and micro (organizational) levels. Recognizing the cross-cutting nature of gender issues, the delivery of the gender policy shall be channeled through the seven integrated strategies outlined below.

Table 13: - Broad Delivery Strategies and Policy Outcomes

Strategies	Expected Outcomes
Policy, Partnerships and Programme Reforms	Mainstreaming of gender concerns across sectors and at all levels.
Information, Communication and Value Re-Orientation	Increased Gender knowledge, Attitude and Practice, Male Involvement and positive gender culture
Capacity Building and Skill Development	Technical expertise and appropriate tools and instruments for sustained gender responsive development
Legislation and Human Rights Protection	Gender Justice and guarantee of Human Rights
Economic Reforms and Financial Accountability	Enhanced productivity of all citizens and gender responsive policy and budget efficiency across sectors
Research Data and Evidence-Based Planning	Reliable sex disaggregated data and indicators
Monitoring and Evaluation	Effective gender equality tracking and benchmarking of progress

Source : - National Gender Policy, 2007, p. 23

HEALTH

22. ISSUE: - What measures have been taken to reduce the high maternal mortality rates and to address in-country differences, as well as between rural and urban areas? Please describe steps taken or planned to increase the number of primary health care facilities and their accessibility, especially in rural areas.

RESPONSE: - Measures taken to reduce MMR and the disp arities include the following:

Declaration of national emergency by the President in 2005 and being sustained by the current administration with human capital development (health, especially improving maternal health) as a focused area of the President Yar’adua’s 7 point Agenda;

Increased budgetary allocation to the health sector at all levels of governance to ensure adequacy of Primary Health Care Facilities, and increase in the number health manpower at both rural/urban areas;

Aggressive advocacy campaign and consultations with policy makers/policy implementers at the State and local government levels embarked upon by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs since 2005;

Sustained nationwide public enlightenment campaign on the socio-cultural determinants of MMR since 2006 embarked upon by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs;

The positive outcomes of the above efforts today are the following: -

Increase to 15 in the number of state governments with draft legal/policy frameworks on improving maternal health;

Completion of a successful MDG-funded 2007-08 nationwide Baseline on Maternal health Indicators that is knowledge based, policy driven and action oriented in focus. The results/findings are currently being analyzed and the final report will be ready by December 2008 after peer review and stakeholders’ forum to validate it at a workshop.

RESPONSE: - Steps taken or planned to increase the number of Primary health Care (PHC) facilities and their accessibility to rural areas include the following: -

In the past five years, the Federal Government has provided funds each year to build model PHC Centres, 200 centres in 2001, 120 centres in 2004 and 61 centres in 2005. The new model PHC centre is to serve as apex health facility and referral centre within the ward. It is to coordinate and supervise all the health services within the ward, both at the facility and community level. These health centres are managed by their respective communities and emphasize community-based services. The communities are actively involved right from the construction state of the health centres, and the centres are handed over to their Ward Development Communities (WDC) to ensure ownership and co-management of services.

The goal of the Ward Health System (WHS) is to improve and ensure sustainable health services with full and active participation of people at the grass root level.

Aims and the objectives of the Ward Health system are as follows: -

To promote full and active community participation at the grass root level in order to sustain an effective and efficient delivery of PHC services in the ward.

To improve access to quality health care and ensure equity.

To promote local initiatives and encourage poverty alleviation activities in the ward.

To re-enforce political commitment to PHC at the grass root level i.e. the ward.

To reduce morbidity and mortality especially amongst women of child bearing age and children under five years.

The manpower requirement for the ward health service is designed to be affordable to the Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the communities. At the community level, the community-based workers Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), Village Health Workers (VHWs), and Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEW) constitute the workforce while at the facility level, the Community Health Officers (CHOs), Midwives, Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) and the Junior Community Health Extension Workers (JCHEWs) are the care providers.

The objectives of Maternal and Child Health Services under WHS are to: -

Locate all pregnant women in the ward and provide Ante-Natal Care (ANC) services to them

Prepare women for exclusive breast-feeding

Identify women at risk and refer them appropriately

Provide labour, delivery and post-natal services in the community

Immunize preg nant women and children under 5

Provide appropriate case management for common childhood diseases using standing orders

Identify danger signs of ill-health and advise on timely referral

Motivate men and women for family planning services.

Opportunities offered by the Ward health System are as follows: -

Local capacity for community driven socio-economic development and poverty alleviation.

Investment in health: - Investing in health is good economics; increased productivity and socio-economic progress.

Health Sector Reform Community ownership and increased private sector involvement in health: international agencies, NGOs and civil society organization; decentralization of management; efficient resource mobilization, utilization and accountability; equity and quality care.

Effective collaboration with stakeholders in PHC.

Access to basic health facilities and care has been greatly enhanced; given significant increase in health care centres at both urban/rural areas. Also increased are the number of health manpower revealed by table 14 below on the growth in the number of medical doctors, nurses, health educators, trained traditional birth attendants. This has progressively impacted on the quality of health/welfare of Nigerians.

Table 14: - Health Statistics

HEALTH	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
HEALTH STATISTICS
Federal Gov. Allocation To Health (million)	16,180.00	20,445.2	44,651.5	63,171.2	39,685.5	52,406.1	77,498.8
Capital expenditure	7386.8	11579.6	20128	12608	6431	18207.7	21,835.8
Recurrent expenditure	8793.2	7386.8	24523.5	50563.2	33254.5	34198.5	55,663.0
Expenditure Ratios:
Capital/Total	0.46	0.57	0.45	0.20	0.16	0.35	0.28
Recurrent/Total	0.54	0.36	0.55	0.80	0.84	0.65	0.72
Capital/Recurrent	0.84	1.57	0.82	0.25	0.19	0.53	0.39
HEALTH MANPOWER
Doctors	31,359	33,106	35,215	38,355	40,159	41,935	44031
Nurses	123,390	125,240	109,790	128,559	136,751	158,920	166,866
BASIC HEALTH INDICATORS
Life expectancy Male (in years)	56.27	-	-	-	-	-	57.91
Life expectancy Female (in years)	54.85	-	-	-	-	-	56.35

Source : - National Planning Commission: - Economic Performance Review, April/July 2006, p. 17

23. ISSUE: - How does the Government monitor implementation of the plan in regard to women’s health, and how does it assess the tangible improvement in the seven key areas mentioned in the report.

RESPONSE: - The strategic monitoring framework and gender impact assessment/indicators provided for in the new National Gender Policy, 2007 earlier referred to applies. (See responses 20 and 22 above).

24. ISSUE: - Please describe the impact and results of these strategies, policies mechanisms and the programmes adopted at the Federal, State and local government levels and how these strategies empower women to effectively protect themselves against the epidemic.

RESPONSE: - The Impact and results of the HIV/AIDS strategies, policies, mechanisms and programmes adopted at various levels include among others, the following: -

Considerable awareness campaign on the HIV/AIDS pandemic has resulted in a consistent decline in HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.

The first case of HIV/AIDS was confirmed and reported in Nigeria in 1986. Adult (15-49 years) HIV prevalence rate increased from 1.8 per cent in 1991 to 5.8 per cent in 2001. A consistent decline has been observed from 2002. From a peak of 5.8 percent in 2001 the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate has declined to 4.4 per cent, a decline of 1.4 per cent.

The thrust and significant successes recorded thus far in addressing the pandemic is for the most part attributable to the Strong political commitment has translated into greater support for intervention.

Nigeria was the first country in sub-Sahara Africa where the government committed to putting some 10,000 adults and some children on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) using HER OWN RESOURCES in 2002 using 25 hospitals as pilot sites.

The number of ART sites since increased from 25 in 2002 to 85 and about 69,000 people are on treatment as at April 2006.

The number of new infections declining.

Awareness of an adoption of preventive methods has been enhanced.

Attitude towards infected people is changing; the stigma associated with the diseases is being addressed.

Tuberculosis the major killer of HIV/AIDS patients in Africa also declining.

Table 15 below reveals that the fight against HIV-AIDS is being won in Nigeria progressively.

Table 15 : - National HIV-AIDS Data

AIDS	1999	2001	2003	2005
National HIV/AIDS Prevalence rate	5.4	5.8	5.0	4.4
New infections	-	-	4.0	3.6
Median age at first sex	-	-	18.3	18.5
% of people who had ever used condoms	-	-	43.0	55.59
% of people with knowledge of HIV/AIDS	-	-	88.0	93.5
% of people ever tested for HIV/AIDS	-	-	6.8	10.8
% of people with positive attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS	-	-	54.9	65.2
% of people who had sex with multiple non-martial partners in the last 12 months	-	-	8.9	8.7
% of people with knowledge of prevention of HIV/AIDS	-	-	64.9	70.7

Source : - National Planning Commission: - Economic Performance Review, April/July 2006, p. 21

RESPONSE: - Although no statistical data is available on how empowered women are to effectively protect themselves against HIV-AIDS epidemic, there is however, a growing evidence, as revealed by Table 15 above, of increased awareness on HIV-AIDS, decrease in HIV infection rate and access to treatment, care and support for men and women living with HIV-AIDS bearing in mind their different situations and needs.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY RELATIONS

25. ISSUE: - Please explain how the Government plans to harmonize civil, religious and customary law with the Convention, in particular in relation to article 16 of the Convention.

RESPONSE : - The Government has already mandated the Nigerian Law Reform Commission since 2006 to embark upon the reform of Nigerian Family Law in three phases. The Commission has reported on the initial phase review of the different family law systems and hopes to complete the harmonization process by the year 2009 in relation to article 16 of CEDAW.

26. ISSUE : - Please elaborate on the efforts undertaken by the Government to ensure that the minimum age of marriage is raised to the age of 18 for women and men throughout the country, in accordance with article 16 of the Convention and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including any draft laws under consideration.

RESPONSE : - Sustained advocacy and consultations with state legislatures, policymakers and other stakeholders have been undertaken since 2003 and still being vigorously pursued by the Child Development Department of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with UNICEF and members of the National Child Rights Implementation Committee. The positive outcome of this sustained campaign is increase in the number of states to 15 from 10 that have adopted the Child Rights Act, 2003 with the retention of the provisions of sections 21-23 which prohibit any child under the age of 18 years from contracting or being contracted into marriage, under any guise. The states under construction here are Abia, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Plateau, Ekiti, Ogun, Rivers, Taraba, Lagos , Kwara, Bayelsa, and Ondo States .

OPTIONAL PROTOCOL, AND AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 20, PARAGRAPH 1

27. ISSUE : - Please provide information on measures taken in order to make widely known the Optional Protocol to the Convention, which Nigeria ratified on 22 Nov. 2004. Please also indicate any progress made toward acceptance of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

RESPONSE: - Little progress has been made in wide dissemination of the contents of the Optional Protocol to CEDAW. In 2006 the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs sensitized State Commissioners and Directors of Women Affairs on the significance of the protocol, as an invaluable tool to seek redress from the CEDAW Committee by women victims of rights violations, once they have exhausted national remedies. Plans are underway under the 2008 budget to sensitize the public on this important tool.

RESPONSE : - At the time of this report no official information is available on the progress made toward the acceptance of the amendment to article 20(1), CEDAW.