18 February 2008
Lagos — Since the news of the proposed Bill against indecent dressing first hit the headlines, the Nigerian human rights community and concerned Non-Governmental Organisations have voiced their concern over its provisions and prescribed punishments whhich include a six month jail term. Alert on Violence Against Women (PAVAW) lends its voice to what many perceive as a violation of women's rights
The proposed Bill on the floor of the National Assembly titled: An Act to Prohibit and Punish Public Nudity, Sexual Intimidation and Related Offences by Senator Eme Ekaette, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women and Youth has generated much uproar in the land with more dissenting voices from the masses. It is an indication that a lot of things are wrong in the polity that need germane attention rather than this "indecent legislation" which lacks the peoples' mandate and expectations of good governance that will provide them the much desired and anticipated democratic dividends that have refused to come.
Project Alert, an organisation in the forefront of Violence Against Women in Nigeria, in a Press Release last year condemned the massive arrest of women and young girls by police on the streets of Lagos over what it termed 'indecent dressing', which resulted in victims being illegally detained and allegedly raped and their money extorted. Once again, the organisation kicks against this Bill which fails to address germane issues that women are facing and raises posers such as: what constitutes indecent dressing?; Is there any universal agreement on what indecent dressing is?; Does the Senator know that culture is relative? That what is culturally right in a place might be culturally wrong in another, especially in a diverse cultural entity like Nigeria where she hails from? Is indecent dressing so germane in our national pedestal?
This is not to dignify indecent dressing or moral corruption but we uphold that the proposed bill is tantamount to lack of understanding of issues that daily affect young girls and women in the society such as rape, incest, widowhood rites, acid bath, murder, etc that constitute domestic violence or gender based violence. These are burning issues and with daily occurrences, demanding urgent punitive or deterrent measures by the state.
Is it indecent dressing that makes a man of 60 years rape a two year old baby as we daily experience? Is it indecent dressing that makes a man to rape his daughter or step daughter? Does indecent dressing has anything to do with rape in Sharia states? Is it indecent dressing that makes armed robbers rape their victims and still go with their loots? Is it indecent dressing that makes someone looking for job to be given on condition of an amorous exercise? Or indecent dressing constitute women being raped by military men on peace keeping mission? These issues goes beyond dressing.
Our legislators must look deeper at barbaric acts against women and put in place value re-orientation agenda in our schools curriculum and the home front. Our legislators should be concerned on how to formulate policies that will put food on the table of the masses, employ the army of unemployed youths and regenerate public confidence in our leadership because it has failed Nigerians beyond the brink of what we can fathom. There is already so much imbalance, inequality, economic and political deprivation in the land than embark on trivialities and frivolities of indecent dressing, public nudity and lewdness on national pedestal. What about corruption and the so-called 419 kingpins in the National Assembly that have brought the country to its knees? Are our leaders bereft of ideas that can improve the general living standard of the masses?
It must be once again stated that majority of Nigerians are against a Bill that has nothing to offer them. As a matter of fact they are totally against those who by any means choose to offer their bodies as viewing centers or center of attractions. The degrading of the human body by both men and women must be condemned. The Senators are hereby urged to abandon this "indecent legislation" and give us decent legislation that will even change the lives of those who indulge in such.
The fight against indecent dressing should be left to homes, faith-based organizations, NGOs and the like. Senators who hold this crusade so close to their hearts should set up pet projects for the purpose or partner NGOs fighting the cause of women in Nigeria. Don't let us give police the license to increase their take home pay, illegally!
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