GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA AND UNITED KINGDOM

Abstract

The issue of women right and its protection has been a contentious matter across the globe over the years. The universal character of women rights as declared in the major instruments of the human rights movement has been a source of debate and advocacy from the time the movement started. This struggle on the position of women rights and its protection took new phase as the human rights movement developed and made specific provisions on gender matters. The instruments claimed that discrimination, deprivation, violence and abuse against women are violations of fundamental human rights enshrined in international human rights laws. This paper examined the global perspective on protection of rights of women in Nigeria, South Africa and United Kingdom. The paper found that despite the availability of these laws and institutional frameworks, discrimination, deprivation, violence and abuse of women still exist in Nigeria, South Africa and the United Kingdom but much more in Nigeria and South Africa. The courts have struck down some of the discriminatory provisions in our laws and nullified unconstitutional denial of women’s rights. This paper recommended that Nigeria, South Africa and the United Kingdom, but more especially Nigeria should domesticate various international instruments to which they are signatory for total emancipation of women from abuse. Existing laws should be effectively implemented by taking out court actions against violators of gender rights.