Speak Wednesday

According to Michelle Obama, when girls are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous.

The right to education is a basic right that every girl child is entitled to as provided by the Constitution and other relevant legal instruments for the protection of children.

This is so because the acquisition of education is a great foundational start for every girl child. Therefore, the value cannot be overemphasized.

UNICEF acknowledged that when we invest in a girl’s education;

• The lifetime earnings of girls dramatically increase
• National growth rates rise
• Child marriage rates decline
• Child mortality rates fall

And so much more because when girls are empowered, they are given the opportunity to have big dreams and break biases.

A Chinese proverb says, ‘education is the best legacy to give a child because giving your child a skill is better than giving him or her a thousand pieces of gold”.

Centre for Family Health Initiative plays a significant role in girl child education by assisting rural communities to ensure all children regardless of their financial status attain quality education.

In 2020, CFHI during the Commemoration of International Children’s Day held an essay competition that had a winner, a girl child, awarded a scholarship.

Also in 2021, CFHI donated books to primary and junior secondary schools Sabo-Karimo for their school libraries.

Educate a girl child today.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #GirlChild #Girlchildeducation #genderequality #genderbias

BARRIERS TO EQUALITY IN THE SOCIETY

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

However, in both private and public spheres, women face occupational segregation and multiple barriers – such as lack of access to land, capital, financial resources and technology, as well as gender-based violence – due to cultural mindset and stereotypes. ~ U.N WOMEN

Other barriers that encourage inequality in the society includes unconscious bias, lack of legal frameworks against discrimination of women, non- commitment of our leaders towards the attainment of equality in the society, etc. These barriers exist in education, working settings, leadership, homes and almost in every aspect of the existence of women.

This unfortunate yet realistic state of affairs led to the report by the United Nations Women which stated that it may take close to 300 years to achieve full gender equality.

Inequality in access to education, income, job, healthcare, leadership, social support services, etc can limit girls and women from reaching their full potentials which may lead unemployment, extreme poverty, and other negative outcomes.

According to United Nations, Gender Equality (SDG5), is not only a fundamental right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #GenderEquality #Genderbias #SDG5

A true democratic society fosters respect for all citizens, equality, inclusiveness, freedom of speech, the right to make individual choices, and to live free of fear or discrimination, but in Nigeria, there had been a sustained poor representation and the gender imbalance of women in critical areas.

The Nigerian constitution, which is regarded as the grundnorm because of its overriding effect on all other laws provides for the right to freedom from discrimination ~ Section 42 CFRN, yet there are in existence few discriminatory Nigerian laws implemented against women in our alleged democratic society.

By way of illustration, a woman police officer (not applicable to men) cannot marry without seeking permission from the Commissioner of Police, and a woman who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the force. ~ Section 124 Police Act. What’s more, Section 55 of the Penal Code allows husbands in some parts of Nigeria to “correct” their wives as long as it does not lead to grievous bodily harm.

It is also of great concern to note that citizenship is conferred on a foreign woman married to a citizen of Nigeria (man) but the same provision is not made for a foreign man married to a Nigerian woman. Section 26 CFRN.

Equally, the discrimination is well extended in leadership. premium times reported that in the House of Representatives, out of 360 members, only 18 are women (4.61%) while in the Senate, there are 8 women out of 109 members (7.34%). Premium Times 2022, Low Number of Women In Politics, Bane of Nigeria’s Development- Minister, accessed 14 September 20222, <https:/www.premiumtimesng,com/news/more-news/528219-low-number-of-women-in-politics-bane-of-nigerias-development-minister.html/> 

A number of women have spoken up on this issue. According to Njideka Harry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF), if Nigerian women had the same opportunities as men, they could drive up the GDP by $13.9 billion, while Tian Wei, CCTV News, is quoted to have said, “Any society that fails to harness the energy and creativity of its women is at a huge disadvantage in the modern world.”

The reasons that could be cited for the inequality in the Nigerian democratic society can be traced to the sexual stereotype of social roles, discriminatory traditions, and cultural prejudices.

It is pertinent to note that “if they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” according to Shirley Chrisholm, the First African-American woman elected to the US Congress.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #DemocraticRights #Women’sRights #GenderStereotype #GenderBias #GenderInequality #cuturalnorms #democracy #BBN

The phrase, “women’s rights are human rights” was used by the first lady of the United States, Hilary Rodham Clinton on September 5, 1995. This proves that the fight for the right of women from time immemorial is a global issue.

The right of women to live free from violence and discrimination; to be educated; to earn equal pay; to occupy political positions, the right to sexual and reproductive health, etc are not only women’s rights but human rights which are fundamental.

In Nigeria today, women still struggle in our patriarchal society infested with discriminatory practices and customs that devalues women. This is despite the fact that the Nigerian Government is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), an international treaty protecting the rights of women.

According to United Nations, half of the world’s population and potential are represented by women and girls. Therefore, gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but essential to achieving peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

We can achieve a society free of discrimination if we all respect women’s rights. Thus, gender inequality is everyone’s problem.

Women are humans too.

Women’s rights are human rights

Human rights are women’s rights.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #Women’sRights #HumanRights #GenderStereotype #GenderBias #GenderInequality