The need for women to have one voice has been on the front burner for a while now. ENE OSANG in this piece writes that this was reiterated recently at a conference in Abuja.
Just recently, the 4th Voice of Women (VOW) conference and awards, an initiative of Voice of Women Empowerment Foundation in partnership with Women Radio 91.7 convened in Abuja for a parley on the theme: ‘Women Elevate Nigeria’.
Women inclusion at all levels of governance and the need for them to explore better strategies to endear them to leadership position formed the core of disscussions at the conference
Convener of the conference, Toun Okewale-sonaiya, in her welcome address said the annual conference is a cornerstone where key stakeholders are brought together to reflect, deliberate and re-strategise a comprehensive action plan towards advancing women agenda in Nigeria, especially in the context of a state of emergency.
According to her, women struggle has reached what she called a state of emergency, adding that nothing better highlights the critical state women find themselves in light of how the year 2019 has been for them.”It has been one hell of a rollercoaster from revelations of sex-for-grades, to sex-for-food in IDP camps, to sex-for-salvation,” she lamented.
“We are in an emergency because the outcomes and impact of these new voices on our polity would set the new direction for women’s movement in Nigeria. It has offered us the opportunity to also mainstream reforms and institutionalise consequences, or forever hold our peace.
“While I find it regrettable that the sex-for-salvation case been thrown out of court, I am confident that the perpetrators in the sex-for-grades documentary will be brought to book. We have named and shamed, now we would prosecute.”
She noted that Lagos state government has a a Gender- Based Violence Prohibition Law which proscribes a three years jail term for offenders, adding that women are seeking the full wrath of the law on perpetrators.
“While I commend the states in Nigeria with a Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law, it is unfortunate to note that this has not been passed at the National Assembly.
“I commend the pioneering work of Ekiti and Lagos states at opening the first sex offenders register in 2014 and the recent effort at operationalising a national register by Rule of law and Anti-corruption (ROLAC) organisation.
She disclosed that a movement tagged #Metoo has taken root with the aim of women and girls collectively speaking ‘above whispers’ to challenge the culture of silence and the institutionalised commodification of women’s body as a means to an end.
“Kiki Mordi was best positioned to the BBC documentary because for her, she was able to tell her story because she had a platform that protected her. What about the millions of girls out there abused and frightened? We must show them that it is OK to speak up and we can only do that with a system that guarantees their protection,” she stressed.
Keynote address
In his keynote address, the chairman of TK Group, Prince Adetokumbo Kayode, stated that 10-30% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is as a result of domestic work mostly done by women.
He maintained that women contribute a great percentage to the economy, regretting that gender biases and discrimination in production make their contributions unappreciated.
“Nigeria has not collapsed because of the informal economy dominated by women. The informal economy contributes about 65% of GDP but because the sector is not properly regulated, it doesnt get the needed attention,” he said.
“Globally, women can make greater contribution if their capacity and capability is fully utilised,” he added.
Panel discussions
Speaking at the panel, three times former House of Representative member, Nnenna Ukeje, expressed disappointment that the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill is yet to be signed into law even when sectiom 42 of Nigeria’s constitution condemns every form of discrimination against citizens.
Ukeje called for amendment of the constitution in order to enable it accomodate the bill, regretting that same constitution which condemns discrimination is encouraging it by not allowing gender equality.
“Section 42 of Nigeria’s constitution was what encouraged the passage of the Child Rights Act and Persons with Disabilities bill, yet same constitution has refused to recognise the GEO bill,” she said.
“Section 42 of the constitution is the one that says there should be no discrimination against anybody and we have consistently tried to amend the constitution that is our argument and justification for more inclusion of women.
“However, the opponents of the bill would argue that section 42 states that there shall be no discrimination; therefore, when we want to have more inclusion, they say it is against the state and letters of the same constitution.
“We have come to realise that section 42 rather than work for us works against us. The argument is that the constitution is self-evident but not self-enacting and that is the reason we have subsidiary legislation,” she noted.
Recommendations
The former law makers called for the establishment of a gender character within the federal character if all citizens must benefit from national resources.
“There is the Federal Character Bill that is in the constitution, so we are saying expand the Federal Character Bill and just add gender, so that all areas woulf be covered.”
Similarly, Austin Aigbe from the Centre for Democracy and Deveopment (CDD)called for the establishment of Gender Character Commission to furtherempower women to take positions in governance and other leadership levels.Aigbe stressed that it is time to have such commission that empowers women to take positions.
“We musy make deliberate actions like form a movement on GEO billjust like the Not too Young to Run.’’
On her part, the founder Rise Networks, Toyosi Ogunsiji, stressed the need to invest in girl-child education while calling on older women to make conscious efforts to carry the younger women along.
“Educating our girl-child would unleash the total potential we have asa nation to give her the opportunity to develop to her full potential while contributing to our national development.
“We must not continue to limit our ability to compete globally by limiting opportunities for women and limiting opportunities for the girl child by not educating her.’’’
Dr Muhammad Mustapha, director, Dispute Resolution and DevelopmentInitiative, encouraged more women to participate in politics to enable them address the challenges facing the female gender.
The chairman, Board of Directors, Women Radio 91.7, represented byIgbokwe Ogechi stressed the need to focus on the role of women in elevating Nigeria.
The awards
Highlights of the event was the presentation of awards to outstanding gender advocates especially those working to address the plight of women in the country.
Top on the list was the wife of the president Aisha Buhari, who declared theconference opened stressing the role of women in nation building.
Mrs Buhari said women have begun to speak out and find their voices, hence the need to put more efforts in advocating for women’s rights.
She received the award on Woman of the Year’ award for her campaign on women and girl-child education.
Communique
It was observed that there is a need for the inclusion of women in governance as the growth of women is very eminent for development.
At the end of the interactions, it was agreed that concepts of growth and governance are in many ways intertwined and key to prosperity; however, the African continent continues to lose out on the opportunity and force of women in its development.
The communique noted that growth in gender equality includes women’s ability to participate equally on existing decision making platforms.
“There is need to encourage women businesses to grow and one of such is acess to grants for women, especially those in rural areas.
“Legislation is necessary to raise the generation of women, invest in the girl- child education and laws shouldnt discriminate against them.
“Women need 21st century skills and education not the usual skills acquisition training, mentoring which increases stereotypes,” it stated.
It also called for all voices to speak for and advocate a better treatment of women in the society, urging all stakeholders to take stronger actions on the women struggle.
