THE BEIJING DECLARATION, WOMEN AND PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

📄 Project Abstract

In Nigeria, women have suffered various forms of discrimination and oppression during property sharing, especially in terms of land for economic purposes and other physical assets. The challenge has been that, in patriarchal societies, like Nigeria, women are regarded as subservient to men and are never considered in property sharing. Rather, the woman is often regarded as part of the property to be shared especially during the loss of her spouse. Most disturbing is that, though statutory law and international laws have affirmed women's rights to land and other property, women are often denied access and ownership to property due to unfavorable customary practices. This study examines women's property rights in Nigeria. In doing so, it looks critically into the state compliance with the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, the nature and provisions of the Declaration. It also identifies some factors such as customary laws and statutory laws as responsible for the discrimina...