A Comparative Analysis of Legal Protection for Females against Sexual Assault in Nigeria and Uganda.
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Date
2021-06
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Publisher
East African Journal of Peace & Human Rights (EAJPHR).
Abstract
Women and girls constitute a large segment of human beings often referred to as more vulnerable members of the society who deserve special protection of the law, especially against all form of sexual abuse or assault. This article undertakes a comparative analysis of the legal frameworks of Uganda and Nigeria on sexual crimes with a view to determining the measure of protection their females enjoy under the relevant laws. The goal of this comparison is to bring out the lessons that the two countries, the latter representing West
Africa and the former representing East Africa, can learn from each other in the attempt to develop the jurisprudence on rape and other variants of sexual assault in Africa. The article adopts the doctrinal research model and relies on both primary and secondary sources of information like the Constitutions of the two countries, the main statutes embodying their criminal law, judicial decisions (primary sources), books, journal articles, periodicals and the internet (secondary sources). The article observes that neither of the two
countries has a composite law on sexual offences as a result of which the rules under which women and girls can seek protection are scattered in different statutes. However, Uganda has taken a remarkable step towards developing its jurisprudence in this area through the Sexual Offences Bill currently before the Parliament. As the Bill contains innovative provisions capable of granting the females better protection against sexual offences, this article recommends a speedy passage of the document and advises Nigeria to
follow suit by initiating a separate law under which all females can obtain adequate safeguards against sexual violence and exploitation.
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Keywords
Comparative, Legal protection, Females sexual assault