The early 1900’s witnessed great changes with respect to the place of women in society. It was indeed a period in which women’s oppression and inequality began to energise them to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. One outcome of the rising agitation was the idea for an International Women’s Day, which was first suggested in 1910 at a conference in Denmark. From 1911 onwards a day was agreed which has grown to become a global day of recognition – not just to celebrate the political, economic and social development of women but also to continue to promote and inspire them. The annual observance, referred to as the International Women’s Day (IWD), has continued to grow from strength to strength.
Yet IWD means different things to different people: a celebration, a call to action, an opportunity, and a cause. To us in Soroptimist International of Nigeria, it is an opportunity to raise the profile of Soroptimism and the work we do in our programme areas, which are embodied in our 3E Project: Educate to lead for global impact. Soroptimists educate with skills and empower women and girls with confidence, giving them the ability to achieve their fullest potential. Looking beyond the individual, Soroptimists work locally and globally to enable opportunities through advocacy and awareness-raising so that women and girls can use their skills and confidence as leaders and role models in the wider community.
It is apt that the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW)’s theme for this year’s International Women’s Day celebration is “The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum”. In marking this year’s IWD, SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF NIGERIA reflects on just how much the gender agenda has evolved in Nigeria and whether we are taking the necessary steps towards gender equality, especially as Nigeria is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The two Conventions emphasise and remind nations of their duties to promote women’s rights and women’s education and improve the status of women. The Nigerian constitution, under its fundamental human rights provisions, equally assures citizens of freedom from discrimination and inhuman and degrading treatment. This has not been so in practical terms, and abuse of women’s rights continues unabated.
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Discriminatory laws, violence against women, and gender stereotypes have continued to hinder the opportunities open to women. Nigeria is a mainly patrilineal society where gender relations are based on the patriarchal point of view and hierarchy. The traditional role of a woman is therefore seen as that of a child bearer, home keeper, comforter, and food provider for her husband and children. The male is seen as the superior sex for purposes of inheritance, marriage, family and social decision making, and participation in politics and power relations.
These social values which regard women as inferior to men are the critical factors in shaping behaviours towards women. They are at the vortex in the struggle for women’s empowerment and emancipation in Nigeria.
Traditional practices like female genital mutilation, male preference, domestic violence, and the dispossession of widows have contributed to the marginalisation of women. Male preference leads to abuse and low self-esteem for the female child even from birth, and thus she does not develop her full potentials to enable her contribute effectively to the nation. Domestic violence is accepted as a way of calling erring women to order. It is still regarded as a private affair requiring no legal or official intervention. Women are still victims of rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, assault and battery, widowhood practices, forced labour, trafficking, incest, and other forms of gender abuse. Widows, who are coerced into customary practices of wife inheritance and ritual cleansing by having unprotected sex with a man over a short period, run a clear risk of contracting and spreading HIV. Consequently, the HIV pandemic should be seen as a gender, health, development and human rights issue demanding urgent attention.
Women are politically, economically, socially, culturally, educationally, and legally disadvantaged. They still have limited access to justice. They are mostly ignorant of their fundamental rights and freedoms. A woman’s access to property usually hinges on her relationship to a man. Many Nigerian women are evicted from their lands and homes and stripped of their possessions by in-laws.
In the working world and in the sphere of business, women are still in second place as compared to men. And even if a woman is bright and ambitious enough, has plenty of ideas and is eager to work, she won’t be treated the same as a man with these characteristics.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), women receive lower wages than men in most countries irrespective of the level of economic development. Women are usually steered towards jobs that men do not want (like teacher, nurse or waitress). Women are overrepresented in menial, low-status and low-paid jobs. The labour market is clearly divided along sex lines.
However, some positive changes have taken place in Nigeria: today there are more female lawyers, female bank and company chief executives and politicians than 10 or 20 years ago, but they are still heavily outnumbered by men.
These imbalances and inequalities in gender relations must be redressed if Nigeria will move forward to join the league of civilised nations as a country with respect for human rights.
