Celebrating Women

Last week the world celebrated International Women’s Day but how much of women’s rights and accomplishments were truly celebrated? On facebook, a lot of my contacts were putting up pictures of their mothers to celebrate them for their impact in their lives. Err… wrong! That you can do on Mothers’ Day. March 8th was specifically set apart by United Nations in 1975 to celebrate the achievements of women globally and find solutions to the challenges facing women. Challenges such as gender-based discrimination in the workplace, violence against women, poor access to education for the girl child and all round issues of inequality.

Gender inequality is so important because it affects everyone; not just the home but society at large. United Nation’s Development Project (UNDP) did a report and estimated a total of $95 billion US Dollars is lost every year since 2010 by sub-Saharan Africa due to issues of gender inequality. The fight to reduce gender inequality can lead to a productive growth in society as well as a more economically viable society for us all. This is especially good news for Nigeria who is currently struggling to get out of recession and build a united nation for its people. We have to be deliberate about women's participation in politics and also in economic arenas; rather than creating an office for women’s affairs where all they talk about is how to throw parties to gain recognition and who does whose make-up for the occasion.

Just last week, in the famous Big Brother Nigerian Reality show, a housemate was evicted for initiating sexual intimacy with a female housemate who was drunk and fast asleep. His eviction raised an outcry. Some said it was just part of the game or fun in the house, others saw it as a predatory behaviour that could have lead to rape on national TV. The issue of how important it is to have a woman’s consent during sex became the topic of discussion for that period and that was a good thing for the women movement. Do you know in the case of HIV infection women are twice more likely to get infected than men due to physiological and social reasons? The truth is the average African has no idea what women’s rights are or what is considered acceptable conduct towards women.

photo credit: chevanon photography

If you doubt me, ask yourself, how many workplaces have exemptions for female employees? When businesses are formed, how many owners take into consideration that female workers may have to rest a lot more when they are pregnant or pick up their kids from school? How many incorporate a creche in their facility to help protect the woman’s interest while she is slaying on the job till work hours are over. Let's leave work and talk about the home. Our very own dear President Muhammadu Buhari made a comment that was top of all the news reports because it raised the issue of African men’s perception of women, “she belongs to my kitchen… and the other room”. I know he was trying to be funny but it was a really bad joke if you ask me. In Nigeria, women are still seen as simply homemakers and nothing more, expected to be silent when men speak and stand in the shadows when they rise. When they try to speak up they are met with verbal/physical abuse.

One of the reasons people were sceptical about voting for KOWA’s presidential candidate in the 2015 presidential elections was because she was a woman. “What does she know?” they cooed, “she should start from the bottom and work her way up”. Yet they saw nothing wrong with electing a man who couldn’t produce an accurate proof of his educational background. Another heartbreaking scenario in the fight against gender inequality is when other women take down fellow women. An example was the reaction of women to Toke Makinwa’s book, On Becoming. So many attacks on social media from ladies who felt she should not have said a word about the issues she faced in her marriage in public. If we continue down this path, we may not be redeemable in the next 169 years as speculated by World Economic Forum as the time where gender inequality issues would cease to exist.

So how do we promote women’s rights?

In September 2015, leaders from 193 countries came together and decided to set global goals to help put an end to climate change, poverty and gender inequality. Some of those goals included ensuring women with leadership abilities are given a fair chance in governance (politics and economics) and public life; eliminating different forms of domestic violence and discrimination against females and promoting the concept of shared responsibility within families. For instance, no more should a woman cross her leg and wait for the man to bring in all the 'bacon' when he clearly has been dealt a bad blow of unemployment for a long period of time. Woman, get off your butt and get a job. You both can't be sitting at home because you think it is the man’s responsibility to bring in the 'big green'. Cast your fears aside, use your education, skill, passion and whatever it is you have and go out there to hustle and fend for your family. It doesn't matter who the 'breadwinner' is as long as there is bread for all to eat.

There are four major ways anyone an act to empower women’s rights. You can choose to challenge bias and inequality wherever it raises its ugly head; speak out against violence to women, support women’s advancement in any field and or celebrate women’s achievements. How exactly can you do these? Well, if you want to challenge inequality, you can start by pointing out whenever women are excluded or whenever you sense a bias and proffer alternative solutions to the problem. Don’t just point a problem and think you’ve done enough, offer a solution. You can also challenge stereotyping, let people know it's not okay to generalise women or put them in a preconceived box. Some people advocate for boycotting male only speaking panel but just like Chris rock did when he hosted the Academy awards in 2015 during the heat of #BlackLivesMatter saga, I recommend you show up and address the issue if need be, just remember to have a solution to the problem before you speak.

photo credit: Pixabay

As for speaking out against violence, the first step is to report it or get involved. Don’t just turn a blind eye. I know it’s easier said than done but if you truly believe in women’s rights, you won't keep quiet when a fellow woman is being abused. You can organise group training or one-on-one sessions to teach youths about how to avoid negative relationships by helping them learn how to identify positive relationships. You can campaign for violence prevention or work with an NGO dedicated to that cause either by volunteering your services or financially empowering them to continue the good work they have begun. Last but not least is the need to abstain from all forms of violence. Live the life that you are preaching about.

You can also help the cause of empowering women by supporting women-owned businesses. These days, the government has made it possible for financial institutions to have loans and special grants for women. As a woman, key into that opportunity to get funds to build your business. If you already have a business, hire female employees (on merit, of course, not because they are women), create opportunities for them within your business. If you are the only woman on a committee and you know other women who are just as qualified to be in that committee or you know women who have ideas that would benefit the committee, speak up about them and help bring them in. Don’t be afraid to recommend a fellow sister for a job she is capable of handling.

You can decide, I want to mentor someone and pick a young lady with potential. Show her all the ropes and help her find where she belongs in life. If mentoring one person is too demanding, you can organize one-off group trainings to teach women a specific skill that could be a game changer economically for her and her family like beadmaking, soap making, bread making, how to make zobo, how to sell online, how to write proposals and apply for loans to execute a business idea she has, etc. If you are in a working environment with no consideration for women, bring that up during staff meetings. Ask questions, pose scenarios, offer useful advice that can be acted on if your observation is to be deliberated on by management.

The easiest way to key into this movement and fast-track the elimination of gender inequality is to celebrate women. Recently, an online news agency, Ynaija, celebrated Nigeria’s 100 influential women. I wasn’t on it but it does give women like me something to aspire towards. When you raise visibility for other women who are making a difference, you are making yourself a spokesperson in the media for the cause. You can choose to be behind the scenes and fight for fairer terms for recognising women’s contribution like Today’s Woman Magazine or Genevive Magazine who take stories of ordinary women’s struggles/achievements and put them on a platform for all to see. When you tell the journey of a woman, her challenges and how she overcame or when you hail the success of women leaders in different spheres of life, you are empowering women.

So the next time international women’s day comes around, you know what to celebrate and how you can actually celebrate it.