A CRITIQUE OF NIGERIAN LAWS FROM GENDER AND SOCIO- CULTURAL PRACTICES VIEWPOINTS

Abstract

In Nigeria, like many other patriarchal societies, laws and socio-cultural practices are often biased against women. This gender-based critique is evident in various aspects of life, ranging from issues of inheritance and property rights to discrimination in the civil space and access to education of the girl child. One of the key areas where the gender bias is most pronounced is in the legal system. Nigerian laws continue to uphold discriminatory practices that limit women's rights and perpetuate gender inequality. For example, under the Nigerian Constitution, women are still not granted equal right like their male counterparts are to transfer citizenship status to their non-Nigerian husbands. The goal of this essay is to conduct a critical analysis of the sociocultural elements that have shaped Nigerian women's rights fulfillment. The main focus of the article is Nigeria as a whole. It focuses on Nigerian legislation that are relevant to safeguarding women's rights. It also looks at other issues affecting women's rights in Nigeria as well as the detrimental sociocultural traditions that are common in the various Nigerian societies. The research process is based on doctrine. A combination of primary and secondary sources was used to collect information.