FEATURES OF AFRICAN WOMEN AS REGARD GENDER IN POLITICS

Using Nigeria as a case study, we are going to discuss this topic under the following headings:

1.       CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND  DEVELOPMENT

2.       MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD

3.       WOMEN AND RELIGION

4.       INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

5.       POLITICAL INSECURITY AND  HARRASSMENT

6.       GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER DISCRIMINATION

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENT: African culture has elements of unity and disunity on the status of women in governance and it still remains the bone of contention in the society as our women will always strife to gain their right and freedom back in this perspective. Among others, culture is a factor that enforces societal change when created, transmitted, learned and enforced for human comprehension and assimilation of the message is pass to the communities and the nations of the world. Also the monotony and regularity of women responsibilities are justified in two ways:

·         Women are seen as weak and unstable: This is why they are not entrusted with important affairs such as legal action or making decision about the allocation of resources, In Nigeria for example, different cultural sectors narrows in social values and status of women and specifically their participation in traditionally government. Using the Ibo traditional society as a case study here, their women had lesser role in directing political and ritual affairs and that informed the present of the male counterpart to intrude in their affairs today. Comparing this to where provisions are made for women to occupy the ruling position in the council, they were inactive as compared to the males and lacked the boldness that accompanies the authority because of this cultural effect. Similar tribe that also has this condition in Nigeria are the Idomas tribe situated in the central Nigeria  comprising the Kogi and Benue State in Nigeria: their pro-male has severe condition for the survival of women, their women are denied membership in association which make societal decisions  and they are not permitted to own a land compared to their male counterpart. The same is applicable to other tribes as the Ibo tribe traditional politics is considered to be a form of “MALE BONDING” and this explains why the male gender has greater domineering power over the female gender in the traditional political culture.

·         The Nigerian Colonialism contributed to cultural belief towards women:  The coming of the Europeans to Nigeria was a system that empowered the traditional system of the Hausa’s, Fulani’s and Yoruba’s traditional leadership to be effective through the indirect rule system which failed amongst the Ibo tribe and as a result the Aba Ibo women riot of 1929 was a violation to this  system of government where colonialism was a regime that was established and sustained through the use of military dictatorship. The indirect rule system was not successful among the Ibos as other tribes that yielded fully to the leadership through the traditional political set up. This was why the white men could not intervene to support the Ibos during the Nigerian Biafra War, ammunition were supplied to the Hausa’s tribe compared to the Ibos because of the past rebellious attitude towards their leadership.  The appearance of political culture was distinguished by abuse, restraint, defeat, discrimination and other dictatorial culture. The demonstration of these attitudes in an environment where women had unimportant political cultural impact still made greater number of women immaterial in colonial political setting. Therefore, the nationalist fight for freedom was mainly men affairs. Also the postcolonial government was founded on Gender-based platform.  The imperialistic warring pattern did not allow for sustainable democratic government in Nigeria. The principle of democracy such as political equality of citizens was totally destabilized by some twenty-eight-years of armed forces over rule as women remains the most disempowered in our society. The situation has not been better during independent testing. Woman continues to experience discrimination in political and public arena of the country.

MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD: Marriage and motherhood is another case study as regards features of African women in Gender based politics. Marriage and Motherhood means changes in the affairs of young women and growth of family and societal anticipations; In Nigeria for example though with relative freedom, being single is not appreciated or trust for status mostly for women. Continentally, Africa continues to be distinguished by the both the lowly levels of education found worldwide for girls as well as the lowest ages at birth and marriage. This practice contributes enormously to the disempowerment of women because they are banned from developing the very same qualities which identify people as members of socio-economic elites which render people more likely to take part in politics. Though there are improvements in female access to education, many women throughout the rural areas in Nigeria and particularly in the northern part of the country are still lacking the access to secondary school both as a result of traditional bias of educating females and economic crisis. And this makes a reasonable number of these women both in urban and rural areas to lack the competent and courage to make and take meaningful and informed decision and action in politics at all level of government. This does not mean that the educated ones are favored in this area. It is also observed that the shock of motherhoods with the accompanying increased recurrence of task and the loneliness which is so common in the life of a young mother may lead to a change which may result in political efficiency among better educated women. These change statuses fix women service and home mode of behavior to the extent their setup leads to socialization of false awareness, which make women to define the position a most desirable and secure state. Therefore finding motherhood as a complicated and marvelous adventure, most mothers prefer to sacrifice free time and much of their social life to make sure that their children are well cared for and as such they would not trade for the world these esteemed dear moments they enjoyed. Motherhood becomes further complicated when it is associated with single parenting and polygamy. In Africa, single parenthood among mostly female family, single headed family is recognized form of family. This development places single mothers with multiple challenges as they are sole breadwinners and distributors thereby getting over tired in an endless struggle in demonstrating the highest feminine virtue. Also in so many polygamous families women are responsible for catering for their children irrespective of how wealthy their husband becomes for instance a woman marrying to a polygamist will take up the responsibility of paying children’s school fees, providing for food and other related expenses. This not the same in monogamous relationships; men has to play their vital roles in monogamous family because they are well united but in some family in African yet they don’t yet see it as their responsibility alone especially in children upbringing.

WOMEN AND RELIGIOIN: All over the globe people see religion from different perspectives, to some religion become an unscientific and mystical act while other are not, apart from all this assumption Religion notwithstanding continues to exist  in great diversity and to control billions of supporters all over the world, even to the unpredictable future. Open in all forms of religion is awareness that man needs support to understand himself and his environment. In this direction, what is the view of Jewish Christian religion in comprehending the position of women as relating to the struggles for gender freedom through equal Delegation? In Jewish religion a woman is meant to work hard for the progress and welfare of her family as specified in Proverb 31 verse 10 which describing her as a capable wives meaning a virtuous woman who is able to make all thing work together for the progress of her family and her husband especially. The religious view of women’s abilities towards her family in this area encourages Gender Equality in the society, and this also forms a basic foundation for building successful women for political career in Nigeria system where Gender equality is not yet appreciated as in the western world.

On the other hand, There are other  areas of teaching in the Christian religious areas that discourages Gender equality in the church which also tend to affect the entire view and fate men has towards women and this is the issue relating to the apostolic  churches then that sanctioned women to stop speaking in the church or at public places : “it specified that women should keep silent more especially in the church and that when they want to learn, they should indicate by raising their hand up for it was  a disgraceful thing for a woman to speak in the church( I Corinthian 14:34). This is one the scripture Christian religious group uses to counter Gender Equality. But it does not worth it, as this instruction came as a result of the present situation at hand then.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: United Nation Organization (UNO) is one of the major international organizations that are known for ensuring international peace and security. Its general concern for universal Issues extends to women issues like Gender equality. There was a conference of women recorded in 1979 where women issues were discussed on the elimination of all discrimination against women. These became effective since then and discrimination as well was defined as any distinction, prohibiting or constraint made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of damaging or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of right by women irrespective of their marital status on the basis of equality of men and women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other. This conference also touches issues concerning state parties in order to amend their social and cultural patterns of conduct by both men and women with view to eliminate discrimination, habitual and other economic vices that encourages inferiority or superiority complex from both Genders in the society.

Besides, it is necessary for states parties to take necessary measures to eliminate Gender discrimination against women in the society more especially in the political arena and public life of a country where women are discriminated much in Nigeria in order to encourage international relation with the western world where fellow women features much in politics.

POLITICAL INSECURITY AND HARRASSMENT: The political environment in Nigeria is full of doubts, though the regulation of the game is clear and bold; there is a reasonable level of non obedience by member of actors. Therefore, the roll call of the victims of political killings during fourth and fifth Republics included the minister of Justice and Attorney General of Federation CHIEF BOLA IGE and MR. MONDAY NDOR of Rivers State House of Assembly to mention but few. This political war atmospheric condition is in favor of men as the male human species is larger in the society and possesses the superior upper body strength and greater natural masculine nature with additional implication, agitation, excitability and violence. The use of violence to accomplish political corruption in Nigerian politics is a witness to the culture of passionate violence. This aspect has posed a danger to women in Nigerian politics.

GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER DISCRIMINATION: Globalization with multiple changes affects both the developed and developing countries. The current global trend is the promotion of democratic governance, which is increasingly commercialized. Hence, democracy is synonymous with plutocracy which is Government by the rich. Globalization as operated today increases poverty among and within nations therefore despite increasing global wealth, there is frightening increasing in poverty and with malnutrition present across the developing world, particularly in Africa and South Asia.  In today’s world, Globalization promotes privatization and resultant down-sizing and subsequent unemployment that weaken the abilities of families to meet basic needs of their members. In the face of these realities, more and more people, mostly women are disadvantaged in the process of political recruitment; therefore, in this reinforcement for the removal of barriers imposing on the surfacing of women in the political leadership.

 In Nigeria, are we going to enter a Gender order? Are we approaching a gender reinvention and more specifically, national restructuring of current men over representation? Still is there going to be hegemonic and decline in which the system will continue more or less in same manner, with merely some adjustment or Row bow them sees as “ Just going backwards and forwards., up and down the same hill. The emergence of women political leadership is still at the infancy few years back but recently has grown wings to dominate in Nigerian system. On the other hand one factor that gives accounts for cultural unison of women and that is modern democracy only succeeds in giving recognition to equality if humans provide no universal unity in reversing women under demonstration. Hence there is global awareness of gender marginalization as well as global unpreparedness for cultural revival for equal representation. Generally politics is still men’s game and they determine the rules of entry and exit.

ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

(PUBLISHER/WRITER: +2348186388641)

GENDER EFFECT ON POLITICS

Our discussion on gender equality continues as we extend to politics, politics as we all know is the propaganda which is employed to contest for the positions involved in governing a nation. It also comprises the system of leadership of a nation, the opinion of leaders and other political aspirant as well as the principle involved in leadership, the constitutional body of law which is twisted by the National Assembly as in Nigeria or House of the Lords as in Britain. Politics help in building the governmental bodies that make up the system of a government. And without it, the nation/s system of leadership becomes ineffective.

Using Nigeria as a case study to Gender effect on politics, We are going to study this topic under Gender representation in Nigerian politics and public life. Women involvement in politics and public services has remained constantly low. Through international and constitutional provisions have been made to address this issue of representation, the situation remains unchanged. As a result, the call for increased women participation in politics refuses to meet up with demands as a result of poor Educational status of women in the society. To solve this critical issue, I suggest that governmental and non Governmental Agency should plan programs to help improve women’s levels and standards of Education through charitable and financial empowerment. Why charitable? In the Northern Part Nigeria, lots of women are uneducated, and don’t even have the courage to move forward. This is because the level of Education over there is not competitive as in the east and there is nothing to motivate them to go to school. Even the Northern Nigerian government made their Education free, yet they see it as a burden. Some of these females from the Hausas tribe in Nigeria get married at the age of 12 year while other at the age 14years and start bearing children for their Husbands. They have gone so far as seeing it as a culture; it is only the educated ones that have attained the height of leadership in the political arena understand what it meant for a woman to go to school and graduate. So there is need for this so illiteracy syndrome in women at Northern Nigeria to be curbed. And to help to achieve these objectives, the World Health Organization bodies like UNICEF, UNISAID, UNDP, DFID, UNESCO, WACOL, HUMAN RIGHT commission etc. should endeavor to host programs in the affected states in the Northern Nigeria by embarking on teaching about the important of Education to women in the society. I think this will help to boost the quality of Education in Northern Nigeria as well as improve the participation of women in politics and public service of the nation.

Coming to the eastern, western and Southern part of Nigeria, the Yorubas and the Ibos women are rated high in politics, more especially the Yoruba’s, we have recorded first deputy governor in Lagos state as a women recently. Also coming to the area of public service, we have more of female lawyer and Judges in ONDO state Nigeria, Akure remains where every woman is aspiring to be a professor. I mean the level of female literacy in the west is very high to compare with every tribe in Nigeria. I wish this competitive nature amongst women over there should extend to every part of the country.

On the other hand, some women in the east who aspire and are eager to venture into Education are hindered and limited by sponsors and resources. If this international organization in Nigerian will help to invest in this area, like the United Kingdom that were encouraging Nigerian to embark seriously in Gender Equality should endeavor to help solve these issue for the countries. Our higher institutions school fees should be minimize for an average female working clerk to meet up with the demands for some of them that has taken it upon themselves to further their education on part time basis because of economic crises in the country. What of world Bank that sometimes invest their money in Nigeria for road construction awards of contracts to development banks and other private construction company should invest those money on Education of female to improve Gender equality in the country which enhance women representation in the politics of the nation Nigeria as well as bringing about civilization.

Still on the Education as the basic cause for women inefficient participation in politics of any nation, not only Nigeria, it extends to other under developed countries that have not embarked in Gender Equality as in Europe. The blame is sometime shifted to the male Gender who promotes the perpetuation of cultural values that sustain gender differentiation in access to decision making position. I could remember when the Late PRESIDENT UMARO MUSA YARADUA died, there was a serious contention who to take over the leadership of the country in house of senate. LATE PROFESSOR DORA AKUNYILI stood her ground as a woman minister for information and communication amongst other ministers to contribute immensely to the appointment of the last PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN. It was a bone of contention amongst the tribes in Nigeria in the house of Assembly, but despite the opposition to the minister of information and communication coupled with the accusation that were coming from the floor members in the house, she stood her ground to defend every statement and questions thrown to her. It takes education and excellence coupled with hard work for a woman to act in that capacity. Women, men will shout down on you, but they cannot touch you, they dare not because you are covered and empowered by law, so act in the capacity of your empowerment. Exercise your right without being afraid of any personality that will oppose your opinion, speak out! Because it might be your own opinion that will create a difference and settle every dispute, we need women for politics to succeed.

Down through the Ages women have been mistreated and often considered to be second-rate humans. In political and public arena, level of women involvement has been very low, thereby leading to the low emergence of number of feminist movement to shake off this unpleasant situation. The consciousness of this act has generated much talk among women leaders about the need to upgrade the level of gender awareness in the society; for policy making to become gender sensitive so that women can meaningfully contribute to the transformation of human race in this our 21ist Century. If women are recognized in the society, the role of political harassment and insecurity on gender representation will be forgotten issues on their side. It is also important to understand that globally gender equality has effects on the repositioning in Politics.

ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

(PUBLISHER/WRITER: +2348186388641)

THE EFFECT OF GENDER EQUALITY ON CIVILIZATION

It is effective Gender Equality that brings about effective civilization. Without successful gender equality, there will be no effective civilization in any nation because women are loaded with enough potential to execute task in honesty than men. In process of leadership, the male gender is always prone to embezzlement than the famine gender and this remains the core destructive vices in economy of a nation. To curb this ill vice in the economy, we should engage the women in leadership of the nation for proper accountability. This is to show that women are gifted in the area of creativity more than men but because there is no effective gender equality, these creative powers are suppressed by their opposite sex as well as dehumanize to a state of inferiority complex to their male counterpart.

The women bears almost all responsibilities for meeting basic needs of the family, yet they are systematically denied the resources, information and freedom of action they need to fulfill this responsibility. The vast majority of the world’s victim of poverty are women, 2/3 of the world’s illiterates are female.  There are millions of school age children not in school, the majorities are girls. And today, HIV/AIDS is rapidly becoming a woman’s disease. In several Southern African Countries, more than ¾ of all the young people living with HIV are women. The current world food price crises are having a severe impact on women around the globe. Millions of people eat two or three times a day, but a significant percentage of women are denying themselves even that one meal to ensure that their children are fed. These women are suffering because of ineffective gender equality and as a result severe malnutrition, which inevitably will be their children’s fate as well.

The impact of these food crises may be with the nations of the world for many years, unless women are supported and empowered to boost Agricultural production in the society. Also we realized that those women supported and empowered financially in some different part of the world according to CNN news are doing well already. They were able to feed their children properly and also send them school, and from this we can discover that Agricultural productivity improves the economy as well as increase income of the farmers. Because of Gender Inequality people sees Agriculture as a means of realizing money for only men. Go to Northern part Nigeria, almost every female gender is capable of cultivating farm manually. And even today some of them have extended from Agriculture to Aquaculture (which has to do with Fisheries) and Poultry farm. So from this you can see that women who properly and meaningfully engage their services in farming are capable of going extra mile with concentration and patience because women has endurance as gift more than male counterpart. Also today the Agricultural system has shifted from using manual implement to mechanization machines like tractors in underdeveloped countries like Nigeria in West Africa, lots of women drives tractors in Northern part Nigeria for cultivation and seed planting. The same is applicable in OARTA FARM in Benue State Nigeria.

We should believe that empowering women to be key agents for change is an essential element for achieving the end of hunger and poverty. Where ever we work our aim should be to support women and build their capacity, the result of these includes:

·         The provision of food farmers easy access to credit, adequate training and instilling in them the important of saving, Microfinance Program to enable them to engage income-generating activities to increase their income and invest in their families and communities.

·         Empowering selected women to be effective Agents for change in the localized areas, and therefore to advance by forming district and state-wide federation to be sure that their voices are heard at top levels of Government.

CAUSES OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

The existing smoke is as result of the quenched fire so is the GENDER BASED VILOLENCE; having discussed and known the types of Gender based violence we will not relent in knowing what brought about the issue. The factors that instigate an action are very necessary and essential to establish facts. So the causes of gender based violence are many and varied depending on the types earlier discussed:

(1)               TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD

(2)               FINANCIAL INSECURITY

(3)               CULTURAL BELIEVES

(4)               MYTHS

TRADITIONAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD: There is believe around the entire Globe that women are weaker sex, and as a result this believe helps the male counterpart to perpetrate violence against them. The men see female as subordinates and therefore constrain their ability to exercise their choice and perform duties with their maximum potentials which will help to end the abuse of women. The civilization in western world like Europe has open the eyes of men who were ignorant of the fact that women are loaded with wonderful creative potential only if they are given the opportunity to exercise it. Today in Europe, even in some developing countries like Nigeria civilization has taught them to send their educated wives to school, because they realize that she might come out a public figure in the society if only she is enlighten to understand her right as a woman.

But to the Ignorant ones, the Kitchen still remains the destination and career of every woman, no, it should not be so, the Kitchen is a temporal base for every woman because there is time for everything. When the time for a woman to exercise her potential comes, the Kitchen is a forgotten issue. But women should be wise in this timing, when your kids are still tender; they need your maximum attention. But the more they grow and mature the lesser the burden to you and the more you delegate responsibility to your kids including the Kitchen. If possible get a helper you pay to assist you in this, so you can face other areas of your life and create a change in the society. You are not destined to remain in the kitchen and as a house wife. You are destined to create a change in the society and you remain an Agent of change in your career.

Furthermore, still under this traditional attitude, the more crowded people are living in a particular geographical area, the increase in domestic violence towards women. This is common in India and China where there are densely populated persons. The major cause of this living together is poverty due to economic crises, people does not have enough funding to live in a better environment that is free of hassles. And as a result the female teenagers from such environment tend to engage prostitution as means to remedy the situation and even supported by parents and male siblings which may end them up as a victim of Rape and Assault as well as defamation of name and character within and outside their environment.  In Nigeria for example AJENGUNLE in Lagos State is notorious for corruption as OBIAGU in Enugu is considered the same. Women or young girls from those areas shy away from responsibilities in the society because of complex which affected them due to the environment they were trained as a result of poverty. Some men will abuse them sexually because they yield easily out of poverty and inferiority complex as well as dump them for next person to continue where they stopped.

FINANCIAL INSECURITY: This is another cause of gender based violence, the society has paint picture in the mind of citizens that men are strong, educated, creative, and clever while female gender are not so. This believes also affect the financial base of famine gender, they are deprived of their right to amass wealth and live independently as spinsters, even before marriage. In Nigeria due to lack of civilization, a spinster that does not live with her parents before marriage is believed by male counterpart as an irresponsible or as a wayward woman ; and overdue lady who has experienced every part of enjoyable lifestyle and made money looking for men he will settle down with. So the male believes that this type might not be pregnant for them again because they believe they are overdue for marriage. And the country being corrupt one, no spinster that made money at higher level will want to settle with a non entity. So these become problems to some young girls who had made money to settle down with men. They now go for men who will serve them and do what they want because average enlighten young men in Nigeria will not tolerate sheet from any women because of money. But in the western world where corruption is less and economy is better, it is not like that: A woman is always in charge in Europe. Our young men in Nigeria will travel all the way to Europe only to end up serving a white woman as a Husband with begging. The day the man will misbehave, the woman will deport him back to his country with the help of the security operatives. Yes, they will help you get your papers if you are obedient, but they will delay you to make sure you don’t come to deceive them and run away. The worst about this is that the child you bear with her is not your child but hers. So when coming back to Nigeria, you are not authorized to go with your children without her approval. So women are empowered in Europe more than men. Should the same right be given to women in Nigeria? I think they will do better, but not to intimidate their male counterpart. Let equality be equality.

Also the way parents bring up their children, which create disparity between boys and girls also is one of the major cause of Gender Based Violence in life as regard making money later in life. Some parents who treat their children equally always have the female Gender stronger later in life. Administer the same measure of duty and punishment while training your kids. Don’t discriminate in sharing things. For instance when a boy grows having a mental assent that the female sister is responsible for washing her cloth is a wrong show. Because if he grows up and marries a woman who comes from a family where duties are shared equally, you see there will be problem. And this will end up creating a tension that will lead to violence against the female in the marriage. Some family will not allow the female gender to exercise their right as per working and earning as well as investing in the home due to wrong believes and impression given to the male counterpart during upbringing. And as a result the male are puffed up that they are to dominate in everything and every bit of challenge and competition from female counterpart ends up in violation which will end up in sustained injury on the part of the female. All these issues should be curbed during child upbringing

CULTURAL BELIEVES: It is a custom for some society to have the female get married at the tender ages of 6, 8, and 12 years. This is common in china, as the female will not attend to school and will be given in marriage to the family of the husband to assist in trading and craft work until she gets to the age of maturity. But this is abuse to the highest order, one of the escapees of this cultural believe who travelled with a Mexican boy friend from china to Mexico where she ended up as a slave to a woman stranger that maltreated her after missing direction with the friend that brought her to Mexico narrated this issue in CNN after being salvaged by human right commission from the maltreated family who were sentenced to 40 years imprisonment each for the crime committed towards her. According to her some of these female are given out early in marriage as specified by their tradition ends up in death as a result of sufferings during child bearing and other complicated issues.

So the way society is set up culturally can cause Gender Based Violence like power relations, economic power imbalances and the masculine idea of male dominance.

MYTH: This has to do with the way a woman comports herself, in order to avoid some negative influence toward the opposite sex. A woman’s dressing and behavior can cause rape. This myth according different background of culture has to do with the generally accepted mode of comportment for feminine gender. Europe has recorded high rate in rapes especially Germany and Mexico because of shabby dressing of the female gender which male gender were unable to control the urge that it triggers on them. A woman that dresses shabbily half naked is asking for attention, flattery or just trying to fit in. she is now asking to be raped. And the effect of this Gender Based Violence is devastating and long lasting to the memory of a woman. They pose danger to woman’s productive health and can scar a survivor psychologically. A woman who experiences this domestic violence and lives in an abusive relationship with her partner may be forced to become pregnant or have an abortion against her will or her partner may knowingly expose her to sexually transmitted infection.

ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

(PUBLISHER/WRITER: +2348186388641)

TYPES OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

There are many ways women’s rights are being violated in the society by the male counterpart and custom/culture of the victims. And these ways:

(1)                COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

(2)                RAPE

(3)                FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION: In some developing countries of the world, most girls are made to prostitute under the guise of sex tourism. Sex tourism according to UNICEF when rich men travel during holidays from advanced countries of the world to places like Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Thailand etc. to have sexual dealings with children between ages of 13 and 15 years, CNN has recorded events of sex tourism in the past more especially in Asian countries where tourist travels and gets to hotels where teenagers renders them services like nude just to gratify their sexual urge. This is a violation of legal right of children and it is real violence against women. More than 50% of workers in the factories of Indian Brothels are children from report on CNN. In Nigeria, the business of sexual exploitation is an alarming issue more especially teenage girls are transacted with the parental approval into sex tourism in a bid to amass wealth. This business is rampart mostly in Nigeria and North Africa where young girls are taken to Italy for commercial sexual work. These are types of violence against women that do a lot of physical and psychological mental break down to women in the society. The victims are posed with series of dangerous health issues that has to do with STD Infection, Respiratory diseases, unwanted pregnancy, and drug addiction.

RAPE: Rape can be defined as forcing someone of opposite sex into sexual intercourse against her will; it is a type of violent, terrifying and humiliating assault to the victim. This act is prevalent in developed world like America where the drug addicts’ acts under influence coupled with excessive alcoholic consumption. It is a pervasive form of Gender based violence. Rape is considered a crime against a person and humanity at large. In some societies like India, when a girl is raped, it is considered a big shame to the family of the victim. And the family must fight to see that the rapist get married to the victim as the only way to restore her dignity. In Nigeria, certain bodies have been established to wage war against rape as a heinous crime in the society. These governmental and nongovernmental Organization backed up by Law are WACOL, HUMAN RIGHT COMMISSION, ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and other related Offence), apart from Nigerian Police Force, you can bacon on these bodies for assistant when your right is deprived due to prevailing corruption in the Nigeria as a country. Any woman of all ages can become a victim of rape depending on your position and location at a particular time in the society, more especially in the higher institutions right in the female Hostels in campuses. This vice is act of power, anger and dominance over another because they are seen helpless. Some men uses this weapon to gain control over the victim, but that is a very wrong idea because the victim might at the end of the day discover that you are the wrong person. And that will be the end of your life. A rapist is liable to 21 years imprisonment according to Nigerian Constitution. Let us join hand to make our society better by curbing this heinous crime that will hinder Gender Equality.

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION:  it is the traditional practice that involves cutting or altering the female genital organ as a rite or culture of the people. Female Genital Cutting is practiced more in African countries. It is also practiced in Asian and Middle Eastern countries of the world. Some sees it as an act that helps to control woman sexual habits. According to the statistics of World Health Organization (WHO) more than 130 million girls worldwide have undergone female Genital cutting, also known as Genital Mutilation. Specifically, there are up to nine countries where this act are practiced as tradition and these countries are: Uganda, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, Senegal, Mali and some part of Nigeria. The practice is seen as an obstruction to a girl’s sexual enjoyment and it is different from partial or total removal of external genital organ to the narrowing vagina opening. It is common among traditional practitioners’ who have no medical training; medical untrained persons are responsible for the operation of genital mutilation or cutting in the traditional (custom) based. And this makes it more dangerous practices in the society and need to be curbed.

According to medical doctors, the risk of this practices is more deadly and dangerous in the sense that the victims are prone to viruses through unsterilized sharp object used in the cutting, the danger in this prevailing age is more than the previous years because of the transmission of HIV infection to the victims through sharp infected object like Razor, Knife, and Scissors who are ignorant of this fact. It is also causes lack of orgasm or sexual gratification and depression on women who are victims. As a result millions of women who have undergone this untrained surgery have serious health problem or consequences which include tetanus, shock, pains, infection, injury of adjacent tissue and organs, urinary retention etc. on the other hand, long term effect of this act may include abscesses and cysts, Urinary incontinence, Psychological and sexual problem, and difficulty in child bearing. Obstructed labor may occur if a woman is infibulated. All these can cause damages to a girl’s lifetime health. Having established the dangers of these Gender based violence. Let us join hand to curb them in our society to avoid had I known in our future generation.

ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

(PUBLISHER/WRITER: +2348186388641)

GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN THE SOCIETY

Gender discrimination can be described as the violation of Human right as regard sexuality. This is common with women and Famine gender. In this write up we are going to look in to laws protecting Gender discrimination as basked up in the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria:

                “According to Section 17(1)(2) of 1999 constitution of

                Federal Republic of Nigeria which says: That every citizen

                shall have the equality of right Obligation and opportunity

                before the law; Section 42 of the same constitution also

                says that no Nigerian citizen shall be discriminated against

                because of sex, religion or ethnic group”. And it also

guarantees the right to private and family life”

furthermore, Article 18(3) of West African Charter

on the people’s Human Right also frown against

discriminatory practices on the grown of sex”

The above law is a sanction on discrimination of Gender. Whether a female or male gender has equal right as regards the law of constitution of Federal republic of Nigeria; here we are focusing mainly on female gender violation as well as discrimination. Before this vision 2020 in Nigeria, women in our society especially in under developed countries like Nigeria has experienced this ill-treatment of weaker sex vessel syndrome, whereby they are denied their right to participate or hold a sensitive position in the society. This dehumanization has subjected our women to a state of despondency and making them inferior compared to their foreign or western counterparts. Before the promulgation of the above law, our women hardly heads offices in public service talk more of political Post. Even when the strong and determined ones from wealthy families who studied in the western world and understood their right as regards gender equality participated in politics, but the male gender will use every tactics and weapons they understood well to chance them out of their aspiring positions.

Also in this gender discrimination is violation of female counterpart: This Gender based violation occurs in all societies of the world within the home or in the wider communities and it affects women and young girls disproportionately. This write up will continue with some Gender based violation like Rape, Commercial sexual exploitation, domestic violence, and female genital Mutilation. We are also going to look into the causes and effect of gender based violence especially on females. It will also suggest in advance what social studies curriculum of Educational system should contain so as to solve the problem of gender based violation in the society.

The world is featured with violence against women; this is generally present in many forms like: battling, Sexual Assault and abuse. Female genital mutilation and rape in war and peace time etc. Gender- based violence is fate of millions of women all over the world and these are affecting their productivity both in the Homes, communities and places of work. There are different types of Gender-based violation which occurs at different levels like within the families and inside homes or apartment in schools.

Violation against women within general community includes battling, rape and social assault, forced treatments , exploitation and commercialization of women’s bodies. The social exclusion of women in some parts of the world. In general and the purdah system in the Northern part of Nigeria in particular are among the violence against women that perpetrated by the state.

Gender –based violence is a universal reality existing in all societies regardless of income, class and culture. It would be difficult to find one woman whom at one time or the other in her life time had not been afraid merely because she was a women. Those women who are particularly vulnerable to violence are those who live in extremely precarious conditions or who are discriminated against on the basis of race, Language, ethnic group, culture, age, opinion, religion, or membership in minority group.

Let’s join hands to promote Gender Equality in Nigeria and our society at large as it brings peace, development and civilization amongst the citizens of the nations. It is right to share things equally, so that there will be peace in the Society. Encourage Gender Equality.

ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

(PUBLISHER/WRITER: +2348186388641)

INTRODUCTION TO GENDER EQUALITY

What is gender equality? Gender Equality can be defined as equal right amongst citizens of the nations of the world or societies irrespective of your status, stature, sex and race as  backed up by the law governing the nation. This Gender Equality is practiced best in Europe, where we have a woman as the head of State “BEING THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND”, she is the Ceremonial head in England. And this also gave women full right to contribute in every sector of the economy and in political wing of the nation in Britain. Also the last late Prime minister of the same United Kingdom known as Britain as from 1973 was a woman known as MAGGRETH TATCHER she took over power from EDWARD HEATH in 1973 precisely. MAGGRETH TATCHER was chief in command over soldier in Britain Irrespective of her Gender because Constitution has empowered her to do so. Nigerian being colonized by Britain is recently adopting the system in full force to enhance the political arena. Women now participate in politics in Nigeria; we can at least count up to 8 female ministers in Nigeria today plus those who are Late like PROFESSOR DORA AKUNYILI who has contributed immensely to the development of the nation as the NAFDAC Director General and as Minister For Information And Communication.

On the other hand in most countries of the world, the female gender are always neglected and despised because of their nature, therefore seeing them as mental retarded weaker sex that cannot add anything good to the society. This practice is known as Gender Inequality. This is common in Libya during PRESIDENT MUAMMAR GADAFFI regime because it was backed up by the constitution which comprises Moslem Religious rules.

GENDER EQUALITY AND CIVILIZATION AFFAIRS

It is all about the Plight of Feminine gender to compare with Masculine gender before civilization and after civilization. It also depicts the experiences of women and how to curb these experiences to improve the functionality of the women in different field of Endeavour. Noting that in the Holy Bible book of Christians: the early days Hebrew women were among the prophetess, leaders and Judges God used to deliver His People from Wars and Enemies; Think of somebody like Deborah that Helped BARAK fought the battle of Israel and obtained victory, and Queen Esther that took the risk of entering prohibited palace for the sake of her people “THE JEWS” in the Holy Bible, these were women that created history in the olden days.

THE ORIGIN OF GENDER EQUALITY

The origin of Gender Equality is Biblical as a Christian because in the realm of the spirit. There is neither male nor female. God sees all as equal human. And our Lord’s prayer says “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. And in the heaven, there is nothing like husband and wife. Everybody is a spirit being. This same supernatural body is what we are praying to adapt our Adamic Nature by walking in the spirit. This is why in the grace dispensation “A woman can become a Pastor because of the Help of Holy Ghost; Just  as it is written in act of Apostles:

 “ I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh,

my sons and daughters shall prophesy,

 the young men  shall see vision and the

 old men shall dream dreams”

The above quotation means that every woman has been empowered by Holy Ghost to do what they were not able to do by their Adamic Nature. This is why a woman will become President and start leading men. Looking at it by their own nature, they cannot do it but by supernatural intervention through the Holy Ghost, they are empowered to do that. This is the origin of Gender Equality.

Gender Equality is not only Godly but also God’s divine Agenda for the last day’s saints. God approves a woman’s submission to their husband so that there will be peace in the home, especially in Adamic nature because he is a God of orderliness. That does not mean that a man is more powerful than a woman. Remember that it was Deborah the prophetess that led Israel to war and obtained victory. Women are highly gifted in potential than men. That is why they are called to help in adamic nature (FLESH). “To help” here means “to serve”. But in the grace era the order or rule has been changed. Women are empowered to be in charge because Jesus has destroyed the curse of servant hood. Now they are partakers of Kingdom of God, Joint heir of salvation just as men.

“God told Adam I will make you a help meet”

But as things goes on women are no longer “help meet” but “help Mate”, with wisdom to sustain peace in their home and society. Women maintain your submission to your head (husband) but that does not make you servant any longer but co-worker or laborer as long as life and ministry is concerned on this planet earth.  Now you have right to decide your destiny route amicably and peacefully with your husband in agreement through persuasion. This is why women must not fold their hands and wait for their husband to make every decision in the home. Every woman must wake up to from slumber and become vibrant in service to their families, life and ministry affair.

ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

(PUBLISHER/WRITER: +2348186388641)