[{"bbox": [96, 178, 1134, 336], "category": "Text", "text": "This intervention seeks to further improve the justice sector and anti-corruption systems by reinforcing the above achievements and promoting effective enforcement of legal and policy framework with a focus on the implementation of the National Anti-corruption Strategy and the National Policy on Justice. It would also facilitate the replication of progress already achieved in new focal states to be determined at inception phase. In parallel, the action will promote citizens' protection and participation, to ensure accountability of the justice and anti-corruption sectors."}, {"bbox": [96, 364, 1134, 445], "category": "Text", "text": "The intervention will align with the National Development Plan 2021-2025, the blueprint for Nigeria's economic recovery which seeks to create strong and sustainable governance structures, efficient institutions that promote citizens' protection while driving productivity for sustained growth."}, {"bbox": [96, 470, 1134, 630], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will closely involve and assist coordinating bodies, established by law and representing both justice and anti-corruption institutions, in order to increase their participation in the development and management of the anti-corruption and justice reform agenda, as well as to ensure an integrated and coordinated implementation approach of the reform agenda. Moreover, the action includes the partnership of CSOs across all project outputs to enhance their buy-in, promote their engagement in sector reforms, and extend the benefits of the action at the grassroots level."}, {"bbox": [96, 656, 1134, 736], "category": "Text", "text": "Likewise, the action will contribute to the realisation of the EU Gender Action Plan III (GAP III) 2021-2025, in particular to its thematic area of engagement “Promoting equal participation and leadership” and “Ensuring freedom from all forms of gender-based violence”."}, {"bbox": [85, 791, 338, 823], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2. RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 855, 213, 883], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [96, 928, 1134, 1089], "category": "Text", "text": "Six successive election terms have been held since the return of civil administration in 1999. In 2019, Muhammadu Buhari was re-elected for a second term. The National Assembly is currently carrying out its fifth amendment of the 1999 Constitution. Major recommendations were raised during public hearings held across the country and submissions of memoranda by various agencies, institutions, groups and individuals. These requested, among others, for the reform of the police, including financial autonomy for the judiciary and local governments, and enforcement of human rights and gender inclusiveness."}, {"bbox": [96, 1114, 1134, 1381], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite progress achieved in strengthening its institutions, democracy and civic space, Nigeria still faces challenges in fulfilling its legal obligations and commitments. The World Justice Project Rule of Law 2021 Index ranks Nigeria 121 out of 139 countries. The country performs medium in the sectors of constraints on government powers, criminal and justice and scores much lower on fundamental rights, absence of corruption and order and security. The country ranks 123 out of 146 countries on the 2022 World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI), with slight changes and evolution since 2006. Gender disparity is apparent in many aspects of life in Nigeria observed in vastly differing outcomes in metrics such as employment, mortality rates, school drop-out rate and number of women occupying appointive and elective positions within government. These pre-existing inequalities have been exacerbated by the pandemic, which has negatively and disproportionately affected women, particularly with regard to access to health care, employment and experience of violence¹."}, {"bbox": [96, 1406, 1134, 1566], "category": "Text", "text": "The country is a signatory of several international conventions and treaties that establish its commitments to the human rights of men and women and to gender equality, such as The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1985, and the Optional Protocol in 2004. It is also a signatory to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol); the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights."}, {"bbox": [85, 1620, 831, 1647], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹ EU Gender country profile Nigeria available at GCP Nigeria | Capacity4dev (europa.eu)"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1680, 1143, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 29"}]