Court orders NYSC to allow Skirts for Female Corps Members

In a judgment delivered on June 13, 2025, and sighted on Monday, Justice Hauwa Yilwa declared that enforcing trousers as the only acceptable uniform for female corps members violates their constitutionally protected rights to freedom of religion and human dignity.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the National Youth Service Corps’ (NYSC) refusal to permit female corps members to wear skirts is unconstitutional and infringes on the right to freedom of religion.

The consolidated suits were brought by two former corps members, Miss Ogunjobi Blessing and Miss Ayuba Vivian, who argued that being compelled to wear trousers conflicted with their Christian beliefs.

Citing Deuteronomy 22:5, which they interpret as forbidding women from wearing male clothing, the applicants maintained that NYSC’s uniform policy breached their religious convictions.

The cases marked FHC/ABJ/CS/989/2020 and FHC/ABJ/CS/988/2020 named the NYSC and its Director-General as respondents.

The applicants pursued their claims under the 2009 Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, sections 38 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and various provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They sought several declarations, including:

“A declaration that the refusal of the NYSC to recognise and allow skirts as part of the NYSC uniform constitutes a breach of the applicant’s right under Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Deuteronomy 22:5 of the Bible, and a misinterpretation of Schedule 2, Article 1(I)(a) of the NYSC Bye-Laws 1993.”

“A declaration that the use of skirts by the applicant in the NYSC scheme forms part of her fundamental rights to freedom of religion and to manifest the same in practice and observance as provided for in Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

“A declaration that the harassment, embarrassment, and humiliation suffered by the applicant at the hands of NYSC officials constitute a clear infringement of her rights to freedom of religion and to manifest same in practice, as well as the right to human dignity and protection from degrading treatment.”

“An order compelling the respondents, their servants, agents, privies, or anyone acting on their behalf, to recognise, allow, and provide skirts for the applicant or any female corps member wishing to wear same in accordance with Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Deuteronomy 22:5.”

The applicants also sought N10 million in damages each.

Justice Yilwa held that NYSC’s insistence on trousers violated the applicants’ constitutional rights and subjected them to degrading treatment.

She granted all the reliefs sought, including: “A declaration that the refusal to allow skirts for religious purposes is unconstitutional.

“An order mandating the NYSC to recognise and permit the use of skirts for female corps members with genuine religious objections.

“A directive compelling the NYSC to recall the affected former corps members and issue their certificates accordingly.”

The court further ruled that the “harassment, embarrassment, and humiliation” suffered by the applicants amounted to a “blatant infringement of their fundamental rights”.

While the applicants requested N10 million in compensation, the court awarded N500,000 each, considering it adequate under the circumstances.

Justice Yilwa concluded that barring the applicants from completing their national service due to their attire constituted religious discrimination, stating:

“The actions of the respondents resulted in the applicants being embarrassed and humiliated. This is a blatant infringement of their fundamental rights.”