162. There are other areas that would require similar attention. These include: the need to improve prison conditions and the justice system for children and the youth; improving conditions of service in the public service and for educators, especially for the intellectual capital at tertiary and research institutions; strengthening the independence of the judiciary and the legislature; encouraging democratisation within political parties and improving women’s political leadership; and finding lasting solutions to internal conflicts, especially those relating to the Niger Delta region and sporadic religious/ethnic conflicts. 3.2 Implementation of standards and codes i. Summary of the CSAR 163. The Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) acknowledges that Nigeria has signed many international agreements (treaties, conventions, charters, codes, etc.) and has ratified or acceded to some of these (see table 3.1). The report indicates a lack of proper records, slow process in ratification, and difficulties in domestication and effective implementation or compliance. The report further points out that a committee was set up in 2001 to determine ways of speeding up ratification. The CSAR does not, however, indicate in detail Nigeria’s adherence to the African regional standards and norms contained in treaties. It also does not indicate to what extent Nigeria has adhered to the periodic reporting obligations as required in all major human rights treaties. Since the CSAR does not discriminate between treaties that require ratification and other agreements that do not, the Country Review Mission (CRM) has indicated in table 3.1 below the standards that do not require ratification or accession. Table 3.1: Implementation of democracy and good political governance standards and codes DATE OF SIGNATURE S/NO DATE OF ACCESSION/ RATIFICATION REMARKS INTERNATIONAL 1 Charter of the United Nations (UN) (all objectives) 7 October 1960 2 Universal Declaration on Human Rights (all objectives) 7 October 1960 3 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) (objective 3) Domesticated through the constitution A nontreaty that does not require ratification or accession Domesticated through the constitution 29 July 1993 Domesticated through the constitution 69

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