Interdisciplinary Seminar:
Education for Employment, Economic Independence and Decision-making
Convener: Suhad Jarrar-Browne, Great Britain

Fundamental Right to Education is a Sine Qua Non for Women’s Empowerment in Nigeria and for Global Security
Ogugua Ikpeze, with Carol Arinze Umobi , Nigerian Association of University Women

Education is the foundation for sustainable development and economic emancipation of any nation via gainful employment and mobility of labour. Consequently the uneducated or inadequately educated remain the most vulnerable in labour markets. However, education does not fall under enshrined Fundamental Human Rights in the Nigerian Constitution despite the fact that Nigeria is a signatory to Human Rights Instruments including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter. These instruments have elaborate provisions on education and employment rights because constitutional provisions on right to education were not made justiceable.

The paper will examine types of education available to females in Nigeria visavis their employment advantages and disadvantages, with particular reference to administration and governance. The cultural relativity and religious impediments to female education will be x-rayed with attention drawn to the exposure of discrimination in the Unity School Examination, where score manipulation meant that even the girl-child with a high score would lose admission to Unity School. Current efforts to encourage girls and women to advance their educational qualifications whether by Government Policy (Affirmative Action) or otherwise will then be described.

These efforts, and the extent and repositioning for quality employment, career pursuits and participation in decision-making as well as positivity at mobility of labour even at international level will be espoused. Bearing in mind the United Nations Millennium Goals on women’s rights, the effects of enhanced women’s education will be focused on improved living, defeminization of poverty, self-confidence and security in the home, the nation and globally.

Ogugua Victoria Chinelo Ikpeze is a Lecturer/ Legal Practitioner in the Dept of International Law/ Jurisprudence at Namdi Azikwe University, from which she obtained her Master of Law degree. She is National Treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association, which she represents on the Board of the National Institute of Advance Legal Studies. A past Preside nt of the Onitsha Branch of the Nigerian Association of University Women, she has published widely on her own and in conjunction with Carol Arinze-Umobi.