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

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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