Domestic, Regional, and International Protection of NigerianWomen against Discrimination: Constraints and Possibilities. African Studies Quarterly, Volume 6, Issue 3, Fall 2002. Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome Introduction Discrimination against women is defined by Article 1 of the United Nations Convention onthe Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women of 1979 (heretofore referred to as the1979 Convention or CEDAW) as "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis ofsex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment orexercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men andwomen, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural,civil or any other field." By May 2001, 168 countries had ratified CEDAW. Forty-six of them areAfrican. Nigeria signed the convention on 23 April 1984 and ratified it without any reservationson 13 June 1985, and it rati