Nigerian Government Petitions for Increased Advocacy for Women's Rights

Recently, Education as Vaccine, a Nigerian organization, petitioned the Ministry of Women Affairs to adopt a more aggressive stance on women's rights issues in the country. The call to action is in response to the failure of the Ministry of Women Affairs to respond to a recent incident of rape, videotaped at a college campus in Abia State, Nigeria. The organization also urged the Ministry to create a support system for victims of abuse.

Members of Education as Vaccine submitted a document entitled "How many more rape victims before our leaders act?" to the ministry two weeks ago, but the ministry has yet to issue a formal response. Aisha Kishimi, a member of the organization, condemned the government for its lack of transparency on the issue, saying that, "bureaucracy is killing Nigeria."

Plans for a rally to protest the Abia State rape were subsequently cancelled by the State Security Services (SSS), due to the SSS's concerns over the safety of the protestors.

Media Resources: AllAfrica.com 10/9/11, Feminist Daily Newswire 9/23/11

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