Activist attorney Maduabuchi Idam has urged the National Assembly to enact legislation mandating the creation of dedicated cells within all detention facilities across Nigeria, specifically for transgender individuals.
Idam further advocates for legislative measures to ensure the provision of facilities tailored to the needs of transgender individuals in public spaces throughout Nigeria.
These calls were articulated in an open letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abass, dated April 6, 2024.
Also, the constitutional lawyer based in Abuja has advocated for the criminalization of gender transition.
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The letter titled: “Demand to either criminalize gender transition or pass a legislation for the establishment of a separate cell rooms in all detention facilities and conveniences in public places, for transgender individuals in Nigeria.”
According to Idam: “Following the growing cases of gender switch in Nigeria, I, Maduabuchi O. Idam, Esq., write as a human rights and public interest activist to demand that the National Assembly should forthwith pass legislation to either discourage gender switch in Nigeria or alternatively ensure that both transgenders and cisgenders’ rights are adequately protected, in order to preclude one from violating the other, by introducing separate cells and conveniences like toilets, bathrooms or washrooms in public places particularly for individuals with artificial gender.
“Although I consider gender switch to be unethical, I respect the opinions of those who believe otherwise. Nonetheless, I demand that if transgenderism cannot be discouraged, the National Assembly must ensure that cisgenders’ rights are not compromised in a bid to observe transgenders’ rights.
“It is noted, therefore, that cisgenders are not expected to be comfortable sharing the same cell rooms and conveniences with trans individuals. Meanwhile, it is my view that it amounts to a violation of cisgenders’ rights to privacy and dignity of human person to permit trans people to access places like cells and conveniences that are exclusively designated for cisgenders and vice versa. Hence, the need to quickly consider this demand with a view to legislating on the subject matter.”
