As we commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day, the onerous task of realizing women’s rights as well as evaluating the extent at which we have succeeded in ensuring gender equity and safety for women especially in work places should be the focus.
International Women’s Day is celebrated every 8th of March of every year and with this years theme “I am Generation Equality: realizing women’s right”, it is now obvious that to achieve the rights of women especially in Nigeria is a collaborative effort.
Being a day set aside to take stock of how far women have gone in their struggle for equality, peace and development, raise awareness on the challenges of women and re-strategise on ways to achieve set mandate the empowerment of women and the girls everywhere so far should be at the front burner.
It also marks the 5 years milestone in the drive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015 and the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Security Council Resolution UNSCR1325 on Women Peace and Security adopted in 2000.
There is therefore the need for everyone to galvanize efforts, seek other nations support and global action so as to achieve gender equality and human rights of all women and girls.
This is the time to reflect on progress made, it a period to call for change and also the moment to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played extraordinary roles in life.
However it is worrisome that despite all moves, achievement have not yet been made in the 12 critical areas of concern of the Beijing platform for action as the real change has been agonizingly slow for the majority of women and children in Nigeria.
Government at all levels should step their activities for the education of women and girls because education remains pivotal in achieving the mandate and resolving half of society’s poor social indices and reiterate it’s Committments to create an enabling environment for women prosperity.
The main goal for attaining equity, equality, development and peace can only be effectively achieved through supportive institutional collaborations and reforms from state and non-state actors.
Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and other women led organizations on the intergenerational Campaign for the 25th anniversary of Beijing Platform for Action to reach 25 million persons within the year should consider collaborative efforts in accelerating the realization for gender equality and empowerment for all women and girls.
Women’s Rights in Review of 25 years after Beijing reveals that overall change has been too slow for the majority of the world’s women and girls. However, there has been progress in some areas such as the education of the Girl Child and Maternal Health, while others have seen stagnation and some on reversals. Progress is now under threat from rampant inequality, persistent climate change and the rise of exclusionary politics.
The truth remains that today Nigeria as a country can not claim to have achieved gender equality. The condition is being worsened by our laws and cultures which have refused to change in favour of women.
Women and girls continue to be undervalued; they work more and earn less and have fewer choices to make while experiencing different forms of violence at home, at work and in public spaces. Many hard-won victories rather than being celebrated are being reversed and successful women are labeled “cooperate prostitutes”. Why should a woman who has done well in her chosen career be seen as having slept her through and a man in the situation is seen as a hard working man?.
Despite the 35% affirmative change and the renewed commitment by various Governments in Nigeria to redress some challenges facing women and Girls, such as the persistent under representation of women in decision making positions, the education and training of the girl child, HIV/AIDs, maternal health, gender discrimination at work place etc, which affect national development, to have a woman as the president of this country is still far from reality
The number of Nigerian women and girls whose ambition and lives have been cut short not just by being victims and survivors of gender based violence and unlawful harmful practices but by the ruthless incidences of the insurgency, kidnapping, ritual killings, banditry and cult related activities has continued to affect the development of this nation because the truth is and will always be “No Woman No Nation”.
The time has come to celebrate change-makers of all ages and genders especially men who go out of their ways to encourage women development.
This year’s celebration should be dedicated to the evaluation of progress made so far, identifying gaps and proffering solutions for advancing gender equality while transforming women’s lives.
This ordinarily spurs us as a country to re-double our efforts and recommit to implementing the gender agenda, to accelerate and mobilize actions at all levels for the achievement of gender equality and human rights of all women and girls. Government should place more emphasis on the education of the girl child and the adoption and implementation of relevant laws and policies that promote gender equality.
As we take stock on journey so far in the struggle to realize our human rights and articulate successes made so far, let us re-strategize and refocus attention on burning issues as well as examine windows of opportunities for gender equality and women’s empowerment through our concerted efforts.
On our own part as women we can actually choose to challenge patriarchy, gender stereotypes, and bias through our collective efforts and by supporting our fellow women at all times.
In affirmation of the slogan “women support women” we should refrain from pulling ourselves down as we are all part of a whole, and it’s about collective individualism, working in silos.
Apart from Government, men, women, boys, and girls should all contribute to build a gender equal world, it is essential for our economy and development.
