Celebrating International Women’s Day, a day set aside to celebrate women and their contribution to society, March 8 of every year, is here again!
The day, which is recognised by the United Nations, draws the attention of the global community into daily incrimination, societal expectations and hindrances and ‘bias’ deeply rooted in the system.
We should be celebrating but is it worth the celebration? Are our messages clear enough?
This year’s theme, #Breakthebias, is an indication that the fight is far from over. Women are still constantly set back in their daily activities.
Breaking the bias starts from you and me. It takes a collective effort to drastically reduce gender discrimination especially amongst women.
Women are still in a continuous race to battle for their basic rights, particularly when it comes to the political, family setting and the socio-economic sector.
With the growing rise of women standing up for themselves, it is expected that gender discrimination and bias when it comes to women should be reduced. However, the reality is far from that.
Women, at their places of work, are often seen as pushovers as positions and responsibilities meant for them are constantly disbursed to the other gender simply because they are women, the ones with the weaker vessels. An irony! Because women are naturally wired to innovate, they are masters of navigations and networking, business associates, strategic partners, specialists at cultivating genuine and purposeful relationship.
Women are obtaining more MBAs than men these days, bustling and successfully adding house chores, management and their careers together.
But are these appreciated enough? No, Yes, I don’t think so!
Politically, there are limitations to the offices available for women in politics. Just days ago, a bill had been rejected at the National Assembly.
The bill, which was aimed at promoting gender equality in the socio-political space of society, was shallowly dropped on March 1, 2022. This move had sparked the reaction of women groups who raised their voices and took to the streets to hold protest against the politicians who clearly do not support them.
A statement by the women group said that the men of the National Assembly discredit women’s contribution in politics and every aspect of growth in the country, hence, the result.
It read, “The men of the 9th National Assembly by their actions have taken us backwards. Their actions undermine the importance and relevance of women’s contributions to the governance of Nigeria including the key role women play to bring victory to political parties in elections at all levels across the country.”
The bill had denied citizenship to a foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman but allows the men’s foreign-born wives be awarded citizenship.
Section 26 of the 1999 constitution explains the different ways by which one can become a Nigerian citizen, indeed, a way unfavorable to Nigerian women. A foreign woman becomes Nigerian as soon as she marries a Nigerian but not same result when a Nigerian woman marries a husband of different nationality.
There are still cases of assault, rapes, and molestation often sidetracked. Tradition and customs are still holding women in captivity when it comes to marriage decisions, child bearing, mutilation, and the place of a woman in the family.
A woman does not belong in the kitchen, or the labour room, or the bottom. She is limitless and multi-talented with capacities too numerous to mention! We sojourn and tarry on the path towards the emancipation of women in every area until the bias is evidently broken for women all around the world! Happy International Women’s Day!
