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CEDAW: Concluding
observations of the committee
on the elimination of discrimination of women (II)
Political participation and participation in public life:
Recalling its previous concluding observations of 2004, and while
noting the efforts made to increase the number of women in both
elective and appointive positions in public office, in the
diplomatic service and in international organizations, the Committee
is concerned that women continue to be seriously underrepresented in
political and public life, especially in leadership and
decision-making positions. The Committee notes that women’s
representation in the National Assembly currently stands at 6.9 per
cent in the House of Representatives and 8.3 per cent in the Senate,
far below the 35 per cent minimum representation stipulated in the
National Gender Policy. In line with its previous recommendation,
the Committee calls on the State party to take measures, with
benchmarks and concrete timetables, to increase the number of women
in political and public life, at all levels and in all areas, in
light of its general recommendation 23 on women in political and
public life. It also recommends that the State party introduce
temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph
1, of the Convention and general recommendation 25, to strengthen
its efforts to promote women to positions of leadership. To that
end, the Committee urges the State party to increase the
availability of training and capacity-building programmes for women
wishing to enter or already in public office and to enhance its
awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of women’s
participation in political and public life.
Employment: Recalling its previous concluding observations of 2004,
the Committee notes with concern the persisting wage gap between men
and women, women’s higher unemployment rate, and women’s
concentration in certain sectors, namely agriculture, animal
husbandry, and service. The Committee also notes that women are
predominantly employed in the informal sector resulting in their
exclusion from formal social security programmes. The Committee
expresses concern about the persistence of discriminatory
legislation, administrative regulations and practices in the labour
market. Specific reference is made in this regard to provisions of
the Labour Act, which prohibit the employment of women in night work
and in work underground, the Factories Act, which does not recognize
the specific health and reproductive needs of women, the Nigerian
Police Regulations, which prohibit the enlistment of married women
and require women officers to request permission to marry in
writing. The Committee also notes with concern discriminatory
practices in the private sector, particularly in the banking sector,
with respect to maternity and marital status. The Committee further
notes the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace and the
absence of legislation and measures to address this.
The Committee recommends the adoption of measures to guarantee the
implementation of all the provisions of article 11 of the Convention
and the implementation of the relevant conventions of the
International Labour Organization that have been ratified by
Nigeria. The Committee urges the State party to ensure equal
opportunities for women and men in the labour market, including
through the use of temporary special measures in accordance with
article 4, paragraph 1 of the Convention and general recommendation
25. It also recommends that the State party pay particular attention
to the conditions of women workers in the informal sector with a
view to ensuring their access to social services. The Committee
urges the State party to review, as a matter of priority,
discriminatory laws and regulations with a view to their repeal or
amendment in accordance with article 11 of the Convention. The
Committee also urges the State party to enact legislation
prohibiting sexual harassment in the workplace, including sanctions,
civil remedies and compensation for victims. The Committee further
urges the State party to establish an effective monitoring and
regulatory mechanism on employment issues and practices in the
private sector. Taking note of the existence of a draft Labour
Standards Bill, which, inter alia, prohibits discrimination in
employment or occupation and guarantees the light to equal
remuneration for work of equal value, the Committee requests the
State party to include detailed information on the content,
implementation and enforcement of such standards in its next
periodic report.
Health: While commending the State party for the measures taken to
strengthen the national health system, including the recent approval
by the National Assembly of the National Health Bill, as well as the
adoption of policies and programmes to address various health
challenges, the Committee reiterates its serious concern at the
precarious situation of women’s health, as well as the insufficient
number and inadequate health-care facilities, particularly in rural
areas. The Committee notes that responsibility for the provision of
health services is currently divided across the three tiers of
government, with local governments responsible for the primary
health-care system. It notes with concern that primary health-care
services and facilities are often inadequate in quality, number and
funding. The Committee also expresses concern about the high rates
of malaria and HIV/AIDS affecting women and girls in the country.
The Committee urges the State party to continue its efforts to
improve the country’s health infrastructure, particularly at the
primary level, and to integrate a gender perspective into all health
sector reforms. It also urges the State party to improve women’s
access to quality and affordable health-care and health-related
services, particularly at the primary level and in rural areas. It
further urges the State party to introduce a holistic and life cycle
approach to women’s health, taking into account its general
recommendation 24 on women and health. The Committee calls on the
State party to ensure the full implementation of policies and
programmes to prevent and combat malaria and HIV/AIDS. It further
calls upon the State party to implement awareness-raising campaigns
to enhance women’s knowledge of health issues, with special
attention paid to the prevention and control of sexually transmitted
diseases and HIV/AIDS.
How technical education can be funded
THERE is no doubt that the hope of any
country yearning for technological advancement and relevance in the
international competitive world market today, rests squarely on its
achievements in the field of technology education (Technology is
viewed as public knowledge, attitudes and skills for making the best
use of material resources to produce and use things in the most
beneficial way). Technology is a major tool that empowers the
citizenry and free them from the shackle of poverty, reduce the
incidence of social vices to the barest minimum through the
provision of jobs. It also brings about socio-economic stability to
a nation.
In its quest to sustain peace, social justice, freedom, democracy
and rule of law, as well as to achieve the millennium development
goals so as to join the league of the twenty most developed
countries by the year 2020, Nigeria needs to wake-up from its
slumber; Conscious and deliberate effort must be made to tackle the
numerous problems that are militating against vocational technical
education which is an instrument for the inculcation of technology.
In order for vocational technical education to produce the required
qualified manpower that would be able to turn around the economy,
the problems or inadequacies in the various aspects of this type of
education as well as the structural imbalances in the education
system as a whole must be addressed.
One of the major obstacles to vocational technical education is
inadequate funding. (However, we would want to have a clear
understanding of what technical vocational education is all about
and the policy thrusts of government with regards to
Vocation/Technical Education).
In a broad term Vocational Technical Education is part of technology
education and it encompasses the education of artisans, technicians,
operatives, craftsmen and technologists. Specifically, in Nigeria,
TVE is defined as “Education given in institutions, providing both
scientific knowledge and practical skills required for specific
trades for employment as craftsmen, technicians, technologists,
scientists or similar levels in business fields NPE (2004).
The designated institutions in which vocational technical education
is offered as proposed the NBTE and approved by the National Council
on Education (1987) are:
a. Vocational schools/Vocational/Artisan training centres.
b. Technical Colleges and
c. Polytechnics and Monotechnics
The objectives of Vocational Technical Education as spelt out by
government in the National Policy on Education include:
a. To provide trained manpower in the applied sciences, technology
and business particularly at craft, advanced craft and technical
levels.
b. To provide the technical knowledge and vocational skills
necessary for agricultural, commerce and economic development;
c. To give training and impart the necessary skills to individuals
who shall be self reliant economically.
The above clearly reveals government desire to provide and equip the
citizens of this country with the appropriate skills, knowledge and
values in the various fields of occupations, so that individuals
could be able to contribute positively to the development of the
country. This viewed against the backdrop of the prevailing rate of
unemployment, over-saturated labour market and mismanaged economy,
coupled with the new global economic policy that advocates and
emphasizes self-reliance and job creation, is to say the least
commendable.
The task ahead of the government therefore is to pay greater
attention to this system of education. This could be achieved by
making maximum usage of its human and material resources so as to
catch up with the rest of the world.
Government being fully aware of the fact that education generally is
a social service which engulf huge amount of money for capital and
recurrent expenditure, should be ever ready to carry the
responsibility for Vocational technical Education especially with
respect to the provision of required infrastructures such as tools,
machines, laboratories and workshops.
Considering the enormous investment required in this aspect of
education, government must chart out a new course of funding which
should involve all stakeholders from both the public and private
sectors. No doubt investment in Vocational Technical Education is
worthwhile and by no means a cost. The new partnership which should
be between government, industry, community and the learners must
collectively strive to bring about the much needed reform in
Vocational Technical Vocational Education.
Government should evolve strategies to generate funds from these
sources:
i. Government budgetary allocation.
ii. International donor agencies; grant from multilateral and
bilateral bodies.
iii. The learners.
iv. Marketing and sale of functional projects made by the
institutions.
v. Revenue from organized courses for practicing artisans.
In addition to all these, it is fervently hoped that all the three
tiers of government should endeavour to meet the minimum UNESCO
recommendation of 26 per cent budgetary allocation to the education
sector. This would definitely bring about the much desired change
for the betterment of the society.
MOHAMMED writes from Department of Vocational/Technical Education,
Univerity of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State. |
