The clamour for gender equality reached its peak recently. The issue has attracted an international concern and the consequent commitment to end the inequality between genders.
Simply put, equality tends to achieve the following: granting equal opportunities to women and men in their various strives to achieve their full human rights potentials; the capability for both genders to contribute equally and reap equally from political, economical, and social and cultural growth. Gender equality also strives to systematically recognise and remove the basic causes of discrimination in a bid to provide equal opportunities for both men and women.
Unfortunately, however, despite the presence of some legal instruments to this effect, such as Elimination of Discrimination against Women,Article 16(a) of CEDAW; The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, which was ratified by Nigeria in 1960; The African Charter on People’s Rights(Ratified and Enforcement Act, which provides for elimination of harmful practices; Rights to equitable sharing of property in the event of separation or divorce, widow practices, among others, Nigeria has not fared better in gender equality and women’s right. There is daily increase in both physical and structural violence against women. Factors such as male dominance, religious beliefs, cultural factors, are believed to have contributed immensely to violence against women. As a result of the above, the Beijing Declaration Platform for Action was put in place to set blueprint to achieve gender equality within certain critical areas of concern..
The areas of concern are women and poverty which focuses on gender responsive macro and micro economic power policies, including gender equality in economic power sharing and emergence of female headed households; Education and training of women emphasises female literacy, investment in formal and informal education for women and girls, Women and Health focuses on primary health care, gender responsive health budgets and policies of HIV/AIDS and other transferrable diseases, family planning and sexual gender based violence; violence against women discourages sexual physical and structural abuse at the levels of domestic violence; non- intimate partner violence; gender based violence caused by human trafficking; and violence by the state or its agents; women and armed conflict focuses on cooperative approach to peace and security as well as the need to address sexual slavery, rape and sexual abuse during conflict or periods of internal displacement. Women and the economy discusses participation in economic policy making, use of gender disaggregated data and gender analysis to set gender targets in macroeconomic policies; gender and taxation; women’s access to means of production such as land and credit support, while women, Governance Power and Decision making focuses on women in parliament and ministerial positions. The critical areas of concern are industrial mechanism for advancement of women; human rights of women; women and media, women and environment; and the girl child. In all, what the above areas set to achieve are equality and non- discrimination under thenkaw and access to justice; quality education training and lifelong learning for women and girls; poverty eradication, agricultural food production and food security; access to healthcare, including sexual reproductive rights; ending violence against women and girls through changing attitude towards negative social norms and gender stereotypes against women and girls; elimination of discrimination against women and girls.
It is unfortunate so far that the Beijing Declaration Platform for Action, which Nigeria is signatory to, has not fared better in addressing the problems . Expert opinions have identified the following as factors responsible for this. They are lack of political will to drive programmes and policies that promote equality; poor budgetary provisions for gender advocacy and activities aimed at narrowing the gender discriminatory practices by government agencies; absence of clearly defined maco- economic policy; paucity of disaggregated data for target specific interventions; poor monitoring and evaluation. Others are lack of victim- friendly judiciary; discriminatory existing laws and policies such as Section 55 of the penal code which permits wife beating, land inheritance laws, provision for bail and bond; harmful cultural and trade practices and religious beliefs that encourage gender bias; attitude and the culture of silence, male conspiracy and stereotyping; male child preference, poverty,ignorance and illiteracy and lack of gender equality and the rights of women; gender vote ideology and social strictures; and culture and traditions that demean and support harmful practices against women.
On this note, it is recommended that intensive advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders in government and other appropriate quarters on the issue should be mounted; lobby for the review of existing laws and policies and processes abolition of all discriminatory laws; continuous community outreaches for enlightenment, sensitisation and reorientation of women and girls against all forms of discrimination, bias and stereotyping; establishment and training of community based gatekeepers and influences; provision on equal access in the National Gender/Policy; adoption of a phased approach to the issue odmland rights, which will focus on negotiating land for agricultural nuse for more women, among others.
