NIGERIA: UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW PREPARATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002200 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DRL/MLGA, IO/RHS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY; GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY COLLABORATE REF: STATE 15507 Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b & d). ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On November 3, Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe confirmed the GON's commitment to human rights during remarks at the opening ceremony of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) National Consultative Forum. The Forum, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, offered a two day workshop for both government officials and members of civil society to discuss areas of concern as Nigeria prepares for its February 2009 UPR at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Ambassador M.K. Ibrahim, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' International Organizations Second UN Division, led the workshop's interactive sessions which produced a draft report to be submitted to the UNHRC prior to the UPR. An additional workshop will be scheduled in the next month to finalize Nigeria's report. With Nigerian Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi serving as the current President of the UNHRC, there may be added incentive to perform well in the review, and the GON appears to be taking the preparations very seriously. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with assistance from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) organized the Universal Periodic Review Consultative Forum to prepare for Nigeria's upcoming UPR at the UNHRC, scheduled for February ¶2009. On November 3, Poloff attended the opening ceremony of the two-day workshop, where Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe gave welcome remarks pledging the GON's commitment to human rights. The FonMin said he came straight from the airport after a trip to Indonesia where he had the "harrowing" experience of visiting Nigerian prisoners who were facing the death penalty for narcotics offenses. He said that seeing those prisoners reaffirmed his belief in the importance of human rights advocacy. The FonMin called human rights the "basis for sustaining democracy," but cautioned that neither government nor civil society could do it alone. He stressed the importance of a human rights agenda built on collaboration to create synergy, and maintained that his presence at the forum demonstrated the solidarity between the GON and civil society. Attendees at the Forum were surprised and encouraged that the FonMin himself attended rather than a representative, as is often the case. ¶3. (U) Ambassador M.K. Ibrahim, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' International Organizations Second UN Division, ran the interactive sessions, which included: civil and political rights; economic, social, and cultural rights and development; women and children's issues; and special issues that do not fall clearly into the other three categories (e.g., the Niger Delta, which encompasses all of the above categories.) Ibrahim explained that the purpose of the workshop was for the government to develop a self-assessment report it would submit to the UNHRC detailing major human rights areas of concern. Civil society submitted its own report, in conjunction with the NHRC, based on an interactive session held August 15. ¶4. (U) Ibrahim stressed that the goal of the forum was for the government to hear the views of all Nigerians, specifically citing traditional and religious leaders, women's groups, and members of the homosexual community. Ibrahim encouraged attendees to share thoughts on sensitive subjects such as sexual orientation, the death penalty, and "traditional practices" like female genital mutilation, widows' rights, and early marriage. (COMMENT: Ambassador Ibrahim's specific inclusion of sexual orientation in the discussion was surprising, as it is normally considered taboo. END COMMENT.) Encouraging all participants to see the UPR process as a "national duty", he promised the sessions would be a "dialogue" with no issue considered a "no go" topic. Following Ibrahim's instructions, participants discussed a broad range of issues, including, but not limited to: prison conditions, maternal health care, vulnerable children, the stigma still associated with HIV/AIDS, discrimination against women, and freedom of the press. Ibrahim informed Poloff that there will be one additional ABUJA 00002200 002 OF 002 workshop scheduled within the next month to finalize Nigeria's self-assessment report. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NHRC, and civil society have taken the UPR process very seriously over the past six months and have made every effort to prepare for the February review. With Nigerian Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi serving as the current President of the UNHRC, the GON may feel added incentive for Nigeria to perform well. With the UPR review in February and the Department's release of the HRR shortly thereafter, the GON might be inclined to go beyond acknowledging areas of concern such as freedom of press and information, violence and discrimination against women, trafficking in persons, and the stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS and actually start implementing reforms to address those human rights abuses. We will certainly not miss any opportunity to raise this with key Nigerians. END COMMENT. ¶6. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos. Sanders