NANA ASMA’U’S THOUGHTS IN CONTEMPORARY WOMEN STRUGGLES: A CASE STUDY OF CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW)

NANA ASMA’U’S THOUGHTS IN CONTEMPORARY WOMEN STRUGGLES: A CASE STUDY OF CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW)

Abstract:

This study explores the advocacy of Nana Asma’u and CEDAW based on the following research problem .What are the relevance of Nana Asma’u’s thought on the rights of women to juxtapose it with Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women.(CEDAW) and research questions: What rights of women did Nana Asma’u canvass for? , What rights of women did CEDAW advocated for and What are the contents of CEDAW’s articles on the rights of women? What are the areas of compatibility and divergent between Nana Asma’u’s thoughts and CEDAW’s articles on rights of women and how relevant is Nana Asma’u’s thoughts on the rights of women in respect to CEDAW?The Liberal Feminism is adopted and used as a Framework of Analysis because it best explains how the equality of men and women can be achieved in society without altering the structured of the society just as Nana Asma’u and CEDAW maintained. According to Brookes liberal feminism asserts that the equality of men and women can be achieved through political and legal reform. it is an individualistic form of feminism and theory which focuses on women’s ability to show and maintain their equality through their own actions and choices. Liberal feminism looks at the personal interactions of men and women as the starting ground from which to transform society in to more gender-equitable place. Liberal feminism generally works for the eradication of institutional bias and the implementation of better ways. The findings of this study are drawn from 2 sources of data collection i.e. Secondary sources of literature reviewed and the Primary sources from the interview conducted with relevant women activists. The study reveals that Nana Asma’u who was inspired by Islamic injunctions advocated for Islamic rights of women. It also reveals that in seeking to promote rights of women CEDAW has build on the foundation established by Nana Asma’u. The study also showed that 11 articles of CEDAW complemented the Islamic aspect of rights of women and 6 articles contradicted it. From the countries like Afghanistan, Uganda, Tanzania,Colombia,and Brazil, the women’s treaty has been used to combat violence and has provided women activists around the world with a useful framework for women’s rights that has advanced and improved laws prohibiting discrimination against women.To conclude one can posit that both Nana Asma’u and CEDAW addresses the depth of the exclusion and restriction practiced against women solely on the basis of their sex,by calling for equal rights for women,regardless of their marital status, in all fields,political,social,cultural,economic and civil.

NANA ASMA’U’S THOUGHTS IN CONTEMPORARY WOMEN STRUGGLES: A CASE STUDY OF CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW)

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