WRITTEN QUESTION E-0517/03 by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Women's rights in Nigeria.
Date: 2003-02-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: ACP-EU Convention, EU relations, Nigeria, gender equality, human rights, political cooperation, women's rights

C 51 E/30

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

Does the restriction on the use of nuclear weapons referred to in paragraph 1 no longer apply to the
3.
United Kingdom, given the recent statement by its Defence Minister concerning the deployment of nuclear
weapons and the fact that, after leaving Portsmouth on 11 January 2003, the aircraft carrier ‘Ark Royal’
first made a lengthy five-day detour to the secret weapons and Trident submarine nuclear weapons depot
in Loch Long on the west coast of Scotland before setting course for Iraq?

4. Might nuclear weapons be used to cause radioactive contamination of areas and their inhabitants by
fallout or, by means of an explosion at high altitude, to cause shock waves that wipe out everything on the
ground below them?

5.
How great is the risk that the actual use of nuclear weapons, which have not been deployed in
practice since 1945, will lead to more and more countries wanting to acquire such weapons for self-
defence?

6. What action is the Council taking to prevent the use and proliferation of nuclear weapons of mass
destruction in the future?

Source: Netherlands TV1, Knevel op zaterdag programme, 8 February 2003.

Reply

(29 September 2003)

The question put forward by the Honourable Member in paragraphs 1 and 3 does not fall under the
competence of the Council. It is recalled that decisions of EU Member States on the use of their military
capability are taken by Member States on the basis of their national sovereignty.

The Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to which all EU Member States are State
Parties, recognises five nuclear-weapon States (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United
States). All but three members of the United Nations (India, Israel and Pakistan) are State Parties to the
NPT. The EU has repeatedly urged these three States to accede to the NPT as non-nuclear weapon States.
Furthermore the EU considers that the DPRK remains a non-nuclear weapon State Party to the NPT with
all the obligations it entails.

As regards the questions put forward in paragraphs 4 and 5, the Council has not examined the issues
referred to by the Honourable Member.

the Council

However,
is greatly concerned about the risk of proliferation of all Weapons of Mass
Destruction and their means of delivery and has addressed this issue regularly during meetings at various
levels. Promoting universal adherence and strict compliance to multilateral disarmament, arms control and
non-proliferation treaties has been one of the constant key EU policies over the years. In addition issues
relating to disarmament and proliferation have been systematically included in our political dialogue
agenda with third countries at all levels.

In accordance with the conclusions of the Brussels European Council on 20/21 March 2003, the EU will
intensify work for a comprehensive, coherent and effective multilateral policy of
the international
community to prevent the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Council will address this
issue, in a focused way, during the coming months with a view to reinforcing its action in this field in the
future.

(2004/C 51 E/031)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0517/03

by Miet Smet (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(24 February 2003)

Subject: Women’s rights in Nigeria

Cooperation between the EU and Nigeria takes place on the basis of ACP-EU partnership. In the Cotonou
Agreement, which outlines the general framework for ACP-EU relations for the next 20 years, respect for
human rights and the equality of women and men is stressed repeatedly by both parties.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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In spite of the fact that Nigeria subscribes to these principles, the rights of women in Nigeria are not
always respected. According to AFP, there are instances of women being stoned to death in some
provinces of Nigeria. These stonings are decreed by Islamic courts which apply the Sharia. Reuters also
mentions the fact that Nigeria is one of the countries where female circumcision still frequently occurs,
particularly among the Muslim population in the North.

Has the EU yet reacted to these grave infringements of women’s rights? If not, does it intend to do so?

Is there any provision for a mechanism to systematically monitor and enforce respect for women’s rights
in Nigeria? Is there provision for the possibility of suspending cooperation between Nigeria and the EU if
women’s rights, and human rights in general, are continually violated in Nigeria? If not, will the EU make
provision in future for such possibilities?

If there is provision for the monitoring and enforcement of respect for human rights and for the possible
suspension of cooperation between Nigeria and the EU, does this apply to all the countries which have
signed the Cotonou Agreement?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(25 March 2003)

The Commission is following closely the question of human rights in Nigeria and the application of Sharia
law in 12 northern Nigerian States in particular. The Commission has made appeals through diplomatic
channels and directly to President Obasanjo concerning the cases of women who have been sentenced to
flogging or death by stoning for adultery. There are currently seven cases known that are pending appeal
(women and men). The Commission is not aware that any death sentences in this respect have actually
been carried out.

The Commission encourages Governments to comply with international standards on human rights and to
respect civil
liberties without discrimination. The Union, at the 57th Session of the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights, expressed concern over the sentences of severe corporal punishment
passed down under the Sharia penal code introduced by States in northern Nigeria. The Commission has,
for many years, unreservedly opposed the use of the death sentence, and made a démarche to the Nigerian
Government on 12 February 2002. A Common Position, adopted by the Council on 27 May 2002 (1),
specifically states in Article 1 that the Union will ‘encourage Nigeria’s own processes of … consolidating
democracy and respect of human rights …’

The African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the Union Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on
23 June 2000 (2) sets out in Article 9 three essential elements of the agreement, notably the respect for
human rights, which includes equality of men and women, democratic principles and the rule of law. The
Country Strategy paper signed with Nigeria on 16 July 2002 will support measures aimed at improving
respect for human rights and the status of women in Nigeria. Working with Nigerian civil society,
interventions may include judicial reform and campaigns to change harmful traditional practices such as
female circumcision. In addition, Nigeria as a focal country for the European Initiative for Democracy and
Human Rights (EIDHR), is eligible for support to improve governance and for judicial reform (including
the question of Sharia penal law).

Through these instruments the Commission hopes to influence the Federal and State Government’s
understanding and application of these principles. Working through its Delegation, the Commission is able
to monitor, with Member States, the situation of human rights. If the Federal Government is in breach of
its commitments or its international obligations in respect of human rights, there exists within the
Cotonou Agreement, a procedure for dialogue and appropriate measures which is applicable to all
signatories of the agreement.

(1) OJ L 139, 29.5.2002.
(2) OJ L 317, 15.12.2000.