Human rights defender at risk
on July 18, 2007
Category: LGBTI, Human Rights, Nigeria
Nigerian, Human Rights Defender and founder of The International Centre for reproductive health and Sexual rights (INCRESE) in Niger State, Dorothy Aken’Ova has been ostracised and intimidated by family and community because of the work she does.
Social activists and Frontline HRD like Dorothy are a special group of people who put their lives at risk to defend the rights of others. Dorothy has been defending sexual rights and the reproductive rights of women in Nigeria for over 10 years. When one considers her work is concentrated mainly in the North of the country in those states where Sharia law has been adopted as part of the state legal system, her stance on sexual and reproductive rights places her at even more risk.
For the past 12 months, Dorothy has also been at the forefront of the the campaign to prevent the passing of the Nigerian “Same Sex Marriage Bill”. This has involved attending campaign meetings in Abuja, attending House and Senate hearings, making press statements and addressing sexuality rights in Nigeria at the World Social Forum as well as the sessions of The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. Because of her public stance against the Same Sex Marriage Bill and her work on sexual and reproductive rights, Dorothy’s ex-husband, who lives in Lagos, is now denying her access to their 8 year old son using the courts to further exercise control over her life. Dorothy’s work as a Frontline Human Rights Defender has led her to approach her life and faith from a human rights perspective rather than approaching human rights from a reactionary fundamentalist view that is exclusive and inflexible. For this she is now paying the price of loosing her child, perhaps for ever.
Dorothy is asking people to please show their support by for her by linking to this post and / or writing to human rights organisations asking them to support her legal challenge to the denial of access of her son.
Madre
Human Rights Watch
Amnesty International
Frontline Defenders
International Gay and Lesbian Association
International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission
Tags: Nigeria; Human Rights Defender;
Sphere: Related Content
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13 Comments so far
1. Nasra
July 19th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
It so sad the things that a women has to go through …
You are my window to Africa
2. Human Rights Activist At Risk of Losing Access to Her Child « No Snow Here
July 19th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
[…] From Sokari at Black Looks: […]
3. About Dorothy Aken’Ova [from Black Looks] « The Anti-Essentialist Conundrum
July 19th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
[…] Posted on July 19th, 2007. Human rights defender at risk […]
4. has_te
July 20th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Over from P’Gon.
Be well.
Good luck.
Lots of nice queer blessings
for you and yours.
5. In Support of Dorothy Aken’Ova (from Black Looks) « Automatic Preference
July 21st, 2007 at 3:05 am
[…] Human rights defender at risk […]
6. libhomo
July 21st, 2007 at 11:00 am
Thank you for posting this information. What a terrible thing to happen.
7. Herbert
July 21st, 2007 at 12:46 pm
The world is full of repression.
Man by nature is a political being.
Unfortunately,animalistic tendencies tend to gain the upper hand with the passage of time.People or persons,and governments define human rights and democracy to suit their aims.
But one thing is crystal clear,and that is the fact that sooner than later humanity would self-destruct the word-human right.Soon men and women shall be filling litigations in the court of law seeking permission to marry their own offsprings.
Afterall,they reserve the right to choice.However,people should not take mattters into their hands by resorting to violence and intimidation.
Time will take care of every little thing.
Aluta continua.
8. two things « What am I doing with a blog?
July 21st, 2007 at 2:33 pm
[…] two things July 21, 2007 Filed under: misc — himbly @ 8:33 am Firstly, I came across a story in which a Nigerian social activist named Dorothy Aken’Ova has been threatened with the loss of access to her 8 year old son. She and the writers of this article ask is that her story be linked, and so I am doing that here. […]
9. nessa
July 21st, 2007 at 10:26 pm
ita very horrible thing that can happen to any mother
10. Louisa Dow
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:48 am
I’ll be writing.
11. Sokari
July 23rd, 2007 at 1:18 am
Thanks to everyone who has commented on linked to this post - I have sent the links to Dotty and though she has limited internet access is going through the posts and comments.
12. Joan Kelly
July 26th, 2007 at 1:22 am
I wrote to Amnesty International (FYI, some links in the list weren’t working) and I will keep a good thought for Ms. Aken’Ova.
13. Women of Color Blog » Human Rights Defender at risk...
July 30th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
[…] 2007 at 04:20 pm | Tagged as: actions and organizing, radical woc feminism, violence against WoC via the lovely sokari Nigerian, Human Rights Defender and founder of The International Centre for reproductive health and […]