25 July 2008
Participants at the just concluded National Discussion on Women's Human Rights have called for the mainstreaming of gender issues into Nigeria's school curriculum.
In a communique issued yesterday at the end of the conference, the participants noted that such action would eliminate the age-long cultural practices that degrade women and narrow their chances of contributing to national development. They noted that exposure to gender issues would promote equality and equity, as well as guarantee a balanced society. The conference was organised by BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights, an NGO, to advance awareness on the Convention of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
It was also meant to continue the advocacy as well as to generate more acceptability for the domestication of CEDAW.
Also known as the Bill for Women's Human Rights, CEDAW was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979 and became a law in 1981. Nigeria acceded to the document in 1985, but was yet to be domesticated 23 years after. The bill failed to sail through at the National Assembly in 2007.
The participants blamed its non-passage by the National Assembly on misunderstanding and misconception of its objectives. They remarked that the non-passage had remained a major setback to the progressive development of gender issues in Nigeria.
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Aboyowa 28 July, 2008
Women Should Aspire For Top Offices in Nigeria Women are the sunshine in our lives. Women give birth to us all, tend our wounds when we fall down or when we get hurt and nurture us to enable us become somebody in life. But why are women still being regarded as second- class citizens in Nigeria? Why are women not given equal rights and privileges like their male counter parts in Nigeria? Nigerian Population Census bureau in the year 2003 reports that women are almost 50% in the population of Nigeria yet occupy less than 5% of any key position in Nigeria. According to United Nations Children’s Fund -UNICEF published by the UN Wire on June 7, 2004, that the main reason why women are not in high offices or key position in Nigeria could be blamed on lack of education. The National Population Commission of Nigeria Fact Book in 2008 blames the reason on what it refers to as “the primary function of women in Nigeria” which like in most African countries tie the women primary role to the household function of breeding children, cooking and tending for the needs of the entire family besides any extended family, and so on. There are so many educated women in Nigeria with Bachelors, Masters and Professional degrees in Law, Medicine, Accounting and virtually all fields of Academics, even Professors in our Universities. In Nigeria today, nearly every family unit can boast of either a female graduate or a skilled professional in any field. But breaking away from this barrier of women playing our traditional role or culture as Housewives and aspiring to key positions in Nigeria requires a lot of education and awareness of the great things women can and have done to make changes in history, both past and present. For instance, Queen Amina of Zaria, Northern Nigeria, conquered many cities for Zaria extending the Zazzau borders to the sea in the South and West. She fought many wars and won during her reign from 1536 to 1573. Only a brave woman who believes in her capability as Queen Amina could achieve these great feats. Ellen- Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian’s Iron lady, served as Minister of Finance from 1972- 1973 in Liberia under Samuel Doe’s regime. Sirleaf returned to Liberia in the year 2005 to contest for the presidency which she won and now the first elected female leader of Liberia. She hopes that her win would raise the participation of women all over Africa in politics. We know about Mrs Indira Gandhi, Prime minister of India, 1966- 1977 and 1980-1984. She knew the entire Indian political leadership so well that when she was elected the Prime minister of India. She smartly pushed the Congress dons out of power and held the office for ten years. Another, great female leader was the spiritual leadership of Mother Theresa of Macedonia, (the former Yugoslavia) who clearly showed what the word ‘Love’ and ‘Compassion’ meant by her charitable works, establishing a Missionary group in 1950 which was the beginning of her work. She touched many lives during her lifetime, Mother Theresa won awards and Nobel Peace prize for her charity work till she passed away in September 5, 1997. There are many other great women who have done great things; suffice to mention just a few here. Nigeria is suffering, economically, socially, morally, financially and in every way imaginable partly because women are being excluded from holding key government positions. Women can change history once given the opportunity; it is my belief that women should be given equal share, rights, privileges and responsibilities in the seat of power in the Nigerian government, for to do otherwise would amount to injustice, and a flagrant disregard for natural justice, equity and good conscience.