EXAMINING THE CONDITIONS OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS UNDER THE NIGERIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Abstract

This paper looked at the treatment and the conditions of women’s rights under the criminal justice system in Nigeria and the issues arising within the context. In criminal justice administration, it is an established legal standard that the principles of rule law, due process, legal equality and equity must be adhered to by all the institutions and machineries involved. However, as exposed in this paper, the treatment and conditions of women under the criminal justice system in Nigeria and the world at large show that women are been discriminated under the criminal justice system as a result of gender bias and gender inequality of our culture that is rooted in patriarchy. These discriminations come in the form abuses, deprivations and rights violations. Findings showed that the women’s rights violations under the administration of criminal justice system in Nigeria have often been occasioned by the existence of the systemic legal, economic, political, social, cultural disparities and gender inequalities. In the face of the heightened gender disparities against women under the criminal justice system administration in Nigeria, this paper generally recommended for a proactive gender-balanced reforms to eradicate the disclosed disparities and inequalities affecting women’s rights in the administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria.