Report of the Monitoring/Evaluation Visits to WIN/OSIWA “from project to policy change” Project States in South East and South South carried out between the months of February and May 2006 by Oby Nwankwo National Coordinator
Introduction: This is a report of the monitoring and evaluation consultancy on WIN/OSIWA “From Project to Policy Change” Project carried out between the months of February and May 2006. This entailed personal visits to partners/sub grantees in Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states to assess the level of work on legislative advocacy on the Gender and Equal opportunities bill. The terms of reference included the following:
1. To assess
a)The stage at which their gender bills are?
b)The possibility of the gender bills getting to first hearing? (The short-term goal of this project is to get the gender bills to each of the states Houses of Assembly for first reading).
2. To meet with key stakeholders for purposes of the following:
a)Suggesting ways to get the bills to first reading in the Houses of Assembly before February ending.
b)Identifying their challenges.
c)Proffering suggestions for the way forward.
I got in touch with the NCAA State Coordinators who are facilitating the project in the states to brief them on this development and agree on dates for the visits to their sites. They were informed of the need to organise a meeting of the state member organisations of the NCAA, their legislators and sponsors of the bill and other stakeholders. They were also intimated of the terms of reference and encouraged them to prepare to provide information along those lines. Dates were agreed upon although it was difficult to obtain dates convenient to the legislator and stakeholders. In Abia and Bayelsa states for instance, the Houses of Assembly were embroiled in controversy and as such it had been difficult reaching them to give a date for presentation of the bill.
The detailed report of the visits is as follows:
1. Owerri Imo State – 20th February 2006 at the office of Community Health and Development Advisory Trust (COHDAT) 12 Onyeche Street, Owerri, Imo State
In attendance were 10 members of the State NCAA Branch and the sponsor of the Bill Hon. Anthonia Ngoka, the only female member of the Imo State House of Assembly. The list of attendance is as follows
The meeting opened with a short prayer at 9.45am after which the State coordinator, Sally Ibe welcomed the Consultant. I gave a run down of the history of the National Coalition on Affirmative Action from the Public Hearing on AA held in September 2003 at the national Assembly to the CHOGM Roundtable where the NCAA Committees were set up.
Thereafter, Sally Ibe briefed me on the progress they’ve made in the project. She reminded me that Imo State team did not start with the other states – it was in July 2005 that Imo state came on board and in August it inaugurated the Imo State AA Coalition. They started with advocacy visits to the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Executive Adviser to the Governor on Special duties, and to the Honourable Anthonia Ngoka who sounded positive and encouraged them. After the initial advocacy visits, the team held a one day sensitisatisation seminar in September at which papers were presented on women’s issues including Affirmative Action. The workshop was successful because it had a huge turnout and it motivated the members of the team to commit support and to join in the activities. Participants were enlightened on issues of women’s rights. She spoke of the track record of the sponsor of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill - Hon. Ngoka and stated that she has successfully sponsored the bill on widowhood, which was passed in 2003 and the Child’s Rights Act which has also been passed by the State.
The team submitted a copy of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill to a law firm in the state for legal opinion. The feedback was that the bill would fail with a title like that as it was enough to throw it out of the male dominated House of Assembly. This led to the change in title of the bill to ‘A Law to Eliminate all forms of Gender Discrimination and Inequalities in Imo State’. Every other section in the bill remained and a little was added to the section on reproductive health.
The bill has been sent to the House. It would have been read before Xmas but because of the bye-elections which were held to replace the late Senator Iwuagwu that distracted them. The Hon. Member added that the House of Assembly has been involved in a problem that split it into two. She belongs to one camp and her fear was that her opponents would throw the bill out if it is placed before them at this time. She however assured me that the problem would be resolved soon and the bill would be read. It is on the list of the bills to be read soon.
They have continued with advocacy and have collaborated with the WLDI team in the state to hold a media roundtable. She said that members of the NCAA Coalition also belong to the CIRDDOC/Women in Law and Development International team and this has been useful. The WLDI bill will be passed as soon as the NCAA bill is passed. Taking the NCAA project to the Local Government level is their proposed next step. They plan to put a banner at the roundabout on entering the town. There is also a plan to hold a Phone-in programme on Radio although they are worried that opponents may use the opportunity to frustrate efforts of those who are in support.
The Hon. Member, who was present at the meeting, stated that the whole process is now centred around her and the House of Assembly. She is very interested in the bill being read and pursued to passage but she is being strategic about it. If one goes hunting at the wrong time, he or she will miss it. She advised against making the bill an executive bill. She emphasised that by the time the bill came to her, there was already a problem in the House and she knew that it would have been thrown out, if she had presented it at the time. The speaker is still in trouble. She concluded that the bill is ready for presentation but she doesn’t want us to miss the mark. The moment the storm calms down she will push it in.
The media persons in the team also spoke of their interest in the bill. They have actually offered time on radio and space in the newspapers to enlighten the public on the bill. The Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) undertook to arrange for a radio phone in programme for the team any time they are ready. There were discussions also around preparation of a proposal on sensitisation of this law when passed, as well as CRA and Widowhood law that have already been passed.
Consultant’s Comments: I was impressed at the turn out of the members of the Coalition and each one them knew what the project was all about and indeed contributed to the reporting. Another commendable thing the team is doing is involving the media as members of the coalition and therefore making them co-owners of the process. The fact that the Hon. member was there in person shows commitment. The team has done well and I could read their enthusiasm. I recommend the release of the second tranche of their funds.
S/N / Name / Organisation / Address / Telephone / Email1. / Hon. Anthonia Ngoka / Imo State House of Assembly / Imo State House of Assembly / 0803 3945879
2. / Sally Ibe / Community Health and Development Advisory Trust (COHDAT) / 12 Onyeche Street, Owerri, Imo State / 0803 675 1743
3. / Oleru Harrieth / WIN Imo State Branch / 10 Mbonu Ojike St. Ikenegbu, Owerri / 0803 357 7156
4. / Nnamdi Tasie / Ministry of Information and Culture Owerri / 0803 736 5597
5. / Onyekpere Ikechi / Rights and Development Centre (RIDEC) Owerri / 0803 408 7948
6. / Lady Claribel Okpala / Concerned Group for Environment, Population and Development in Nigeria (N-COGEP-D) / 57 Njiribeako Street Owerri / 0803 329 1302 /
7. / Barrister (Mrs.) P.U. Okoronkwo / Rural Widows’ Action Centre (RUWAC) / 0803 708 0801 /
8. / Bonny Nwoha / Imo Broadcasting Corporation Owerri / 0803 774 8738
9. / Rose Nwogwugwu / Natural Resources Development Movement (NARDEM) / 0803 670 3623
10. / Nze Eddy Ezurike / Community Health and Development Advisory Trust (COHDAT) / 12 Onyeche Street, Owerri, Imo State / 0803 709 3841
11. / Oby Nwankwo / CIRDDOC / 16 Fifth Ave, City Layout, Enugu / 0803 313 2494 /
2. Abia State – 20th February 2006 at the FIDA Abia State Office
The meeting which was attended by five members of the NCAA Coalition Abia State Branch opened with a short prayer at 2.35pm. After the opening remarks by the Coordinator Ms. Amaka Ugwueje and her apologies for the inability of some members of the coalition to be at the meeting, I gave a brief history of the NCAA and the objective of the monitoring visits which would take me to nine states of the SE and SS.
Thereafter, the coordinator informed me that the coalition of 10 members was formed after the Kaduna meeting. She gave the names of coalition members as FIDA, Public and Private Rights Watch, Catholic Men’s Organisation, Village Women’s Association, Centre for Good Governance, Nigeria Bar Association, National Association of Democratic Lawyers, Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, National Council of Women’s Societies, Catholic Women’s Organisation etc.
They held a step-down workshop on CEDAW using the WIN Kaduna workshop model. During the workshop a work plan was developed to include advocacy visits, Sensitisation and reaching out activities, stakeholders’ meeting, Public hearing etc. At the Stakeholders’ meeting about 16 organisations attended.
The Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill was circulated among coalition members for consultations and for their input. At the next meeting, they went through the bill section by section and only minor corrections were made. The team published a flier/brochure to be distributed during the Public hearing and First Reading. An advocacy visit was carried out to the House of Assembly and the Ministry of Women Affairs. They were shocked when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry openly opposed 18 years as age of Marriage. She preferred 14 years. There’s also a new Commissioner for Women Affairs who does not understand the issues. They expressed the fear that with a Permanent Secretary with such archaic ideas, the Ministry might frustrate their project. For now, they are keeping away from them. They are presently engaged on a one-on-one advocacy to gain wider support for the bill.
Speaking about the sponsor of the bill, they said that Hon. C. O. Enweremadu is quite interested but has asked them to make money (N30,000) available for lunch for legislators. The team agreed to do so, but before they could come up with the money, the bill was removed from the list. They have been in touch with him and he sounds interested in sponsoring the bill. However, the debate on the Appropriation bill took their time and interest and soon after, they go involved with the problems associated with the impeachment of the Deputy Governor.
They spoke of their experiences in preparing the situation analysis. All members of the coalition were involved in the process. They could not get access to the Local Government Budget as it seemed that there was none. They obtained statistics on women in the Judiciary, legislature and Executive only. The Ministry of Women Affairs and the Ministry of Education are headed by women. There are many female Permanent Secretaries in the State Executive as well as Magistrates. There is no woman in the House of Assembly.
She apologised for the absence of the sponsor who, until that morning, had assured her that he would be at the meeting. She said that the impeachment has kept them busy.
The sponsor has promised to add the bill in the list of bills to be heard in March 2006. They are hoping that the impeachment saga would have been over by then. They are waiting to get a date for First hearing and Public hearing to start airing the jingles which are ready.
Other members of the coalition contributed. The coordinator said that the state has not collected their share of the CEDAW publications and suggested sending it by Abia Line.
Consultant’s Comments and Recommendations: I commended them advised against keeping away from the Ministry rather their advocacy should be intensified to empower the Commissioner and Perm Sec. and assist them to learn the issues. I left behind some pamphlets on the relevant issues to be sent to them.
I advised them to involve the media in the membership to enable them get favourable rates or even free slots in the media to enlighten the public and seek their support for the bill. I informed them that Carole of the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State has undergone training with CIRDDOC and was empowered so they should get her involved.
The state has done well so far except that the main issue of listing the bill for First reading, at the least, has not been achieved. They were not sure whether they were being owed the second tranche or not. That was surprising but I’ve asked them to confirm to me later. They need to push harder since there is no woman in the House who could have taken the bill up as a personal matter.
Attendance List
S/n / Name / Telephone / Organization/Address1. / Nwamaka Maduchukwu / NAWOJ, Abia
2. / Ugo Ehiemere / 08052042751 / Centre for Good Governance.
30 Macaulay Umuahia
3. / Ikwungonw B. S / P.P.R.W
4. / Amaka Ugwueje / FIDA Abia
5. / Sylvia Iwejuo / FIDA Abia
6. / Oby Nwankwo / CIRDDOC NIG
3. Anambra State – Awka – 22nd February 2006 at the House of Assembly Awka
The meeting which was attended by members of the NCAA Anambra State branch and legislators including the clerk of the House was held at the House of Assembly. The female legislators did not attend. The sponsor of the bill Hon. Bona attended and made commitments. Apparently, there were personality problems between the Chair of the Women’s Committee Hon.Tabansi – Okoye and some of his male colleagues so the NCAA members settled for a male sponsor. The Clerk of the House informed members that the bill has been listed for first reading and enjoined NCAA to get ready for public hearing which the coalition is expected to co-sponsor. Shortly after the meeting, the bill passed through first reading.
Attendance List
S/N / Name / Organisation / Phone No1. / Dr. (Mrs.) Mercy Anagbogu / AWAC/NCAA
2. / Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Egbue / NCAA
3. / Ms. Ify Ibe / CIRDDOC Anambra
4. / Mrs. Marge Nwagbo / FIDA Anambra State
5. / Hon. Bona
6. / Mrs. Oby Nwankwo / NCAA / 0803 313 2494
7.
8.
9.
10
4. Ebonyi State Abakaliki – 23rd February 2006 at the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Abakaliki.
The meeting which was held at the office of the only female legislator in the House and the sponsor of the bill was attended by the Ebonyi Coordinator of the project Mrs. Uzoma Anaeto, of Human Rights Centre, three legislators and myself. None of the other members of the Coalition in Ebonyi state turned up for the meeting. One of the male legislators wanted to know why women need their own laws separately. I took time to educate them on the injustices suffered by women in the past and the need to empower their women in the state to meet their potentials. They admitted that they have been under pressure to present the bill. The female legislator said that she has spent time also lobbying her colleagues and they have given her their word that the bill will be passed. She advised that a workshop be organised for them to brief them on the bill. A date was agreed upon for the one-day workshop. CEDAW publications and other titles on women’s rights were handed over to them for distribution to other members of the House.
The bill has been officially presented to the House.
Attendance List
S/N / Name / Telephone / Organisation Address1. / Uzoma Anaeto / National Human Rights Centre Abakaliki
2. / Oby Nwankwo / 0803 313 2494 / NCAA
3. / Hon. Edediugwu / House of Assembly
4. / Hon. Mrs. Dorothy Obasi / House of Assembly
5. / Hon. Chukwu / House of Assembly
Consultant’s Comments: The bill had been a subject of discussion in the House. Sufficient awareness has been created and I could read commitment from the sponsor as well as her allies in the House. The workshop was successfully held and the Bill has been officially presented to the House.
5. Rivers State Port Harcourt - 4/5/06 at 10 Ibaa Street D/Line, PortHarcourt
The meeting was attended by only five members of the NCAA Rivers State Coalition. The Honourable member of the House of Assembly was said to be ill and on admission in a hospital in Port Harcourt.