327. Nigeria’s return to constitutional democracy has symbolically broadened the scope of women’s participation in politics and decision making. Democratic rule has expanded the space for women’s groups and organisations to engage the executive, the legislature and political parties, especially in the struggle to enshrine some form of affirmative action in the constitution. 328. Nonetheless, numerous challenges face Nigerian women, including the high poverty rate, economic disempowerment, and issues relating to their reproductive health and rights. Widespread poverty and economic hardship take a heavier toll on women, with dire consequences for economic disempowerment. There are indications that obstacles posed by culture, religion and patriarchy are limitations that could be overcome over time with more advocacy by civil society groups and a sustained programme of civil and political education regarding democracy. ii. Findings of the CRM Equality of men and women 118 329. Analyses by state actors, institutions, civil society, and men and women in the sessions with stakeholders indicate that pervasive sociocultural factors are responsible for the rife, systemic discrimination against women in Nigeria. Many customary norms, religious and secular practices, and laws have served to entrench the subordination and exclusion of women from mainstream governance and development processes and institutions, and from benefiting therefrom. The result is that women’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are inadequately protected or promoted. Nonetheless, in the past 10 years, institutional and policy frameworks at the federal and state levels have been developed as a response to the problem of women’s rights and the marginalisation of women. 330. The constitution of Nigeria recognises that men and women have equal rights, and that women are entitled to the full range of human rights available to all Nigerians. In practice, most women neither enjoy rights on an equal basis to men, nor are they guaranteed the same opportunities as men. 331. Nigeria is in the process of domesticating CEDAW by enacting law at the national level and cascading this to the level of the states. It is also considering ratifying and domesticating the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. CEDAW obligates Nigeria as a signatory to not only adopt laws but also undertake other measures to modify or abolish all laws, regulations, customs and practices that constitute discrimination against women. CEDAW also makes it incumbent on state parties to modify the social and cultural patterns of men and women in order to eliminate prejudices and customary and other practices based on the inferiority or superiority of either sex or stereotyped roles.