HRC 56: SRI Statement to Nigeria's UPR adoption

Human Rights Council 56th Session

Item 6: UPR Nigeria

Action Canada for Population and Development

Thank you President, Action Canada makes this statement on behalf of the Sexual Rights Initiative.

We welcome Nigeria’s acceptance of recommendations on tackling gender based discrimination and violence, and on addressing the prevalence of gender stereotyping and urge Nigeria to take specific and tangible steps to respect, protect, and fulfil the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls, including through the decriminalisation of abortion.  

We regret the noting of recommendations pertaining to providing access to information and education on sexual and reproductive health. Nigeria is failing to meet its obligations to provide such information, with private institutions left to bridge the gap in access to evidence-based, accurate information. Everyone has the right to learn about one’s body, sexuality, and sexual and reproductive health. We call on Nigeria to ensure access to comprehensive sexuality education for all, as part of its obligation to ensure that everyone enjoys the right to a quality education. 

We regret the dearth of recommendations made explicitly on HIV prevention, treatment and care, despite Nigeria currently ranking fourth in the world with regards to HIV burden.  Discriminatory laws and practices by state actors continue to undermine Nigeria’s obligations to respect, protect, and fulfil the right to health. This adverse legal environment coupled with stigma, and discrimination based on status, sexual orientation and gender identity, drug use, and work, impedes long-term national HIV responses. Further these marginalised populations also experience high levels of physical, psychological, and sexual victimisation, including police violence. 

Finally, the consequences of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act continue to be felt, particularly as the law also prohibits the registration and lawful assembly of LGBT+ groups, organizations, clubs and societies. 

We urge Nigeria to address the issue of human rights barriers to its HIV programming, and to decriminalise the work of all human rights defenders.

Thank you.