Over the years, women in Nigeria have been relegated to the background on national issues.
This has been attributed to sentiments and traditional beliefs but with this year’s theme- ‘ Pledging For Parity’-women have been urged to play a crucial role to hasten development more than ever.
All over the world, women contribute to social, economic, cultural and political achievements; in some cases, they are the ones leading their nation.
For development of any kind to be successful, a vantage position should be accorded the women, as they constitute larger proportion of the population.
In this regard, they should not be left out in the issues of decision making that borders even on their lives as a people.
Although Nigerian women will join millions of their counter parts worldwide to mark the March 8 date set aside as International Women’s Day, they cannot hide their fears, pains and sorrows.
It is common knowledge that in the 21st century, women and girls are still being maltreated and dehumanised in the name of marriage tradition and customs.
According to a legal practitioner and gender activist, Pricilla Adams, “our women are still battling with domestic and sectarian violence. Widows are still being maltreated and young girls are still forced into marriage and some converted to a faith that they were not born into.
The culture of silence, lack of institutional support, preference to male child, sex stereotype, religious beliefs, poor economic base, low participation in politics and decision making have not helped in changing or improving the lives of our women.
Even though our women are seen to participate in political and decision making, the lack of economic empowerment has hindered many and some who manage to make it, like the minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, are denied their mandate by men.
Our men are still as chauvinistic as their counterparts in Africa who believe that decision making is exclusively for the men. They believe that women can be seen or at best be kept at home to produce children while they are out there taking decisions that will affect them”.
Another female activist who spoke on the significant of the day is Hauwa Ibrahim, a grassroots politician and philanthropist and she said, “One can say that women have always played viable political roles in Nigeria in spite of all the limitations and encumbrances.
They have contributed enormously even though the challenges against them are still there. We have myriads of women in politics and even at local level that are doing very well.
Even though the representation of women in government has reduced compared to the last administration of Goodluck Jonathan, it is still better than having nothing. Women, given the chance, can contribute meaningfully to the development of this country.
I will urge the Buhari government to work towards achieving gender equality by giving women more appointive positions.
But some market women who spoke with LEADERSHIP on IWD, berated government efforts and called for a more direct approach that will end women’s suffering In Nigeria.
Mama Daniel, who sells vegetables in Garki modern market stated that” IWD has got nothing to do with me because I don’t feel anything this government is doing.
If they really want to help us, they should come to the market and give us small money to improve our business.”
Bisi Adepuju, another trader in plastic wares stated, “I don’t know anything about IWD because they don’t include poor people like us.
It is only when they want to campaign that they come to us but anything that there is money, nobody remembers us.
Even if they invite us, I won’t go because it will not put food on the table for me and my children at the end.
If government wants to help women, they should give our children who have finished school and are at home jobless the #5,000 they promised during their campaign, at least it will reduce some of our suffering because we sent them to school and they have finished yet we are still feeding them because there are no jobs”.
On the way out, Adams urged the federal government and the national assembly to create laws that will protect and also ensure that they are carried along in decision-making.
The activist also stated that Customary laws that are still being used on women issues must be reviewed and the African Charter on the Rights of the Child, CRC and CEDAW must be adhered to.
We all know that when you edcuate a man you have empowered an individual, but when women are educated, a whole community is being empowered.
International Women’s Day has been observed since in the early 1900’s and, with this year’s theme of ‘Pledging For Parity’, men and women are being charged to pledge to take a concrete step to help achieve gender parity more quickly – whether to help women and girls achieve their ambitions, call for gender-balanced leadership, respect and value difference, develop more inclusive and flexible cultures or root out workplace bias.
(leaderdhip)
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