WRITTEN QUESTION P-3648/01 by Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Situation of women in Nigeria — Case of Mrs Safia Husaini Tungar Tudu.
Date: 2002-01-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Nigeria, election, participation of women, penalty, position of women, torture, women's rights

C 229 E/42

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

26.9.2002

(2002/C 229 E/043)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3648/01

by Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 January 2002)

Subject: Situation of women in Nigeria (cid:25) Case of Mrs Safia Husaini Tungar Tudu

Mrs Safia Husaini Tungar Tudu is a 30-year-old Nigerian woman who, having been a child bride at 12,
now has four children herself, the youngest of whom was born as a result of rape. On those grounds she
has been sentenced to death by stoning. Her case raises disquieting questions about the current situation of
women in many African countries, not least Nigeria.

According to the Sharia, a married woman commits adultery when she has sexual intercourse with another
man, even if she is divorced and, as in the case referred to in this question, the intercourse is the
consequence of rape.

The political and military authorities that take power in non-democratic regimes insist on controlling the
lives of those under their rule, extending even to their personal privacy. Such scrutiny is also brought to
bear on the birth of children, and women are thus more likely to be subjected to cruel and very often
inhuman laws.

How will the Commission, therefore, intensify and increase the effectiveness of the programmes already
launched to improve the situation of women in countries of this kind? What new steps will it take to help
eradicate practices which violate fundamental human rights?

In addition, how will it encourage democratisation and secularisation in countries such as Nigeria, where
the interpretation of religious law (which, moreover, distorts the true meaning of the religion that it
invokes) encroaches first and foremost on women’s rights?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(6 February 2002)

The Commission is concerned by the application of increasingly harsh judgements handed down by certain
sharia courts in Nigeria, and by their particular impact on women’s rights. The Commission acts in several
ways to help end these practices and to palliate their impact on women.

The Union Guidelines to Union Policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment (1), which were adopted by the General Affairs Council on 9 April
2001 apply to punishments such as flogging and the stoning referred to by the Honourable Member.

The Union referred to the situation in Nigeria at the 57th Session of the Commission on Human Rights
expressing concern regarding sentences under the Sharia penal code introduced by certain states in
northern Nigeria.

In addition, the Union has been in direct contact with the President of Nigeria in order to raise concerns
that the interpretation of religious laws is encroaching on women’s rights in Nigeria.

The Community’s Country Support Strategy for Nigeria identifies the promotion of human rights and civil
society as themes and provides for funding of a foundation for human rights to allow more Nigerian
knowledge and involvement in human rights projects.

Democratisation will be promoted by way of support to the election process, and civil society. The goal is
to empower women specifically through improved access to information on democracy and elections and
inform them of their rights and obligations in a democratic setting. This is a theme in the on-going project
on ‘Citizens Participation and Gender in the Electoral Process’.

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/43

The Commission supports human rights projects to strengthen civil society in Northern Nigeria and to
raise women’s awareness concerning their
In addition, other projects have a gender
legal rights.
component and stress inclusion and mainstreaming of women.

Within the framework of Chapter B7-7 of the Union budget (the European Initiative for Democracy and
Human Rights) funds to combat torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in Nigeria and
other third countries will continue to be available.

Moreover, the Union will continue to encourage the Government of Nigeria to abolish the death sentence,
to strengthen respect of human rights, and to raise women and men’s awareness of their legal rights.

(1) Doc. No 2342, 9.4.2001.

(2002/C 229 E/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3662/01

by Jutta Haug (PSE) to the Council

(15 January 2002)

Subject: Referendum on dates of school holidays in Europe

On 14 October 2001 the German newspaper Allgemeine Zeitung reported on a meeting of the Council of
Ministers for Tourism. According to the article the Council is planning to hold a referendum on dates for
school holidays in the 15 Member States. Apparently this is supposed to relieve the burden on transport
networks, spread the use of hotel capacity more evenly and generate higher revenue in holiday regions. No
mention was made of the education and teaching policy aspects of school holiday planning.

Does the Council really intend to hold a referendum on school holiday dates in Europe? If so, why is the
well-being of those who should actually benefit from the holidays (cid:25) namely children (cid:25) not being taken
into account? Are holidays geared to the optimum use of hotel bed capacity more important to the
Council than favourable circumstances and conditions for a knowledge-based society?

Reply

(25 June 2002)

The Council informs the Honourable Member that it never comments on statements made in the press.
The meeting to which the Honourable Member refers was the Council meeting held in Brussels on
27 September 2001, at which the question of ‘Better management of holiday periods in Europe’ was
examined under ‘Other business’. At that meeting, the Council took cognisance of an information note
from the Austrian delegation on the question of better seasonal distribution of tourist activities in Europe
by means of measures to make tourist flows more flexible. Further to the Austrian initiative, which was
welcomed by several delegations, the Commission was invited (cid:25) despite the very limited Community
competence in this area (cid:25) to study the subject and brief the Council as soon as possible.

The Commission subsequently sent a letter to the Member States asking them about their experiences in
this area, the changes that might be necessary and the nature of the desired coordination.

The Council would remind the Honourable Member that Article 149(1) of the Treaty states that the
organisation of educational systems is the responsibility of Member States. Consequently, the harmon-
isation of school holidays does not as such fall within the sphere of Community competence.