The Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE) has taken human rights advocacy to market women at Iponri, Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State.
REPLACE is a rights-based and not-for-profit organisation with a mandate to ensure equal protection and promotion of legal, constitutional and human rights.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the group, including some People Living With Disabilities, moved from different sections of the market enlightening the traders about their rights.
The women traders were told that they could stand surety and bail anyone free at the police station.
Members of the group educated the traders that as women, no one was permitted to violate their rights; including rights to own property, to occupy any office, if qualified, and should not allow themselves to be treated as second citizens.
Leader of the group, Mrs Felicitas Aigbogun-Brai, noted that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State prohibited the Police from arresting women for their husbands’ crimes or arresting parents for children’s crimes.
Aigbogun-Brai encouraged the women to reach the organisation, through their marker leaders, should their rights be violated or when asked for money before bailing by the police.
According to her, the group’s advocacy to the market became imperative after receiving many complaints.
She noted that ignorance of their rights had made some unscrupulous police officers to exploit them.
“The initial reaction of women is that bail is not free at the police station. We know that police collect money for bail but that is one of the reasons we are out to enlighten them on the need to know their rights.
“We know that people have been complaining about violations of their rights.
“We have had meetings with the Commissioner of Police for Lagos State. He reaffirmed that bail is free. We are bringing the message to the market women so that they would know their rights.
“Also, the police cannot arrest the wife for her husband’s crime, nor arrest the husband for the wife’s crime,” she said.
NAN also reports that the group had earlier visited markets in Ikeja and Mile-12. The group will move to Ajah market on Tuesday
