SOURCE: TheGaurdian
The rights of women in Africa have become an issue of importance especially towards the close of the last century. The African continent in the 21st century can be said to have gone through a renaissance, a rebirth through the flow and transfer of information and increased communication as a result of global technological advancement.
Nigeria, as the most populous nation on the continent, with about 170 million people – most of whom are women, needs to take the lead in women rights advocacy.
Beyond the moral imperative, the Nigerian Constitution makes provision for the protection of women rights as stated in Sections 33 and 34. Similarly, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the rights of women came into force in 2005 as ground-breaking women's right legal instruments. This protocol addresses issues of discrimination against women from all facets of life. It is in addition to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women under the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This protocol goes further to protect those rights provided to women in International Law by further stating and advancing issues such as medical abortion and female genital mutilation (FGM).
Flowing from the above is the rights for political participation by women. In many African countries, political participation has been left almost entirely as the preserve of men. Women only occupy a small percentage of the political processes, policy/decision making and governance space. Without prejudice to the progress being made on women rights by respective countries on the continent, the general outlook of women participation in both the executive and legislative arms of government is still far away from equality with men.
The culture of a people is a sub-total of the behaviours of individuals in the society. The fact of Nigeria being a vast and diverse society makes it more difficult to have a cultural definition of what constitutes women rights. Simple questions such as what are women's rights and to what extent can a woman be free from all these difficulties still draw intense debates."
Historically, women participation in political processes in Nigeria dates back to the pre-independence era. Names as such as Mrs Janet Mokelu and Mrs Funmilayo Ransome –Kuti blazed the trail for women participation in politics in our country. However, long after them, the advocacy has not acquired as much traction as it did in the era of the pioneers.
The rights of women to engage in the politics acquired new perception and gained momentum during the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, when the Office of the First Lady was given official recognition. General Babangida's wife, Maryam, who was energetically, espoused the Better Life for Rural Women programme.
In a way, the new powers and recognition given to the first lady rapidly changed the order of things as more women emerged in the political scene. Consequently, the demand for recognition, freedom and equal rights became an everyday occurrence and reality. This, to a large extent, impacted positively on the interests of women on issues of development and governance.
With the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as the new President, it is expected that progress will be made in the promotion of the existing framework in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development that will enable it successfully implement the core principles of the National Gender Policy. The guiding principles as indicated in the policy are: To make gender analysis an integral part of all policy articulation, implementation and evaluation; enhanced participation of individuals in the achievement of gender equity and equality; a cultural re-orientation that will be supported by policies and programmes of gender education.
Others are transformation of the policy environment within which gender equality programmes are to be implemented; reforming of the existing structures of the National Management System with a view to strengthening their capacity for a more robust mandate; promoting the empowerment of women through the bridging of the existing gender gaps; building on existing structures and practices, as well as drawing from international experiences and practices.
However, despite all these institutional cum policy enablement, women in our land, like their counterparts in other parts of Africa, are still faced with many difficult challenges. In all of these countries, issues of women's right in general are rooted in cultural and social mores and norms of the society. For instance, some cultures and religion expect a woman to be sub-ordinate to and submissive to a man. Some also believe that there are certain roles that are designated for the females; therefore, they ought not to perform that which is not meant for them.
The culture of a people is a sub-total of the behaviours of individuals in the society. The fact of Nigeria being a vast and diverse society makes it more difficult to have a cultural definition of what constitutes women rights. Simple questions such as what are women's rights and to what extent can a woman be free from all these difficulties still draw intense debates.
As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on women's rights, it is very unfortunate that women are still treated as second class citizens in this country. In most political appointments, they are seen below men. In some parts the country especially in the North, women are perceived as properties of men and inferior to them.
Sometimes, the gender imbalance affects access that the girl-child has to human development opportunities such as education and health. Therefore, a lot needs to be done by the new administration headed by President Buhari to engage women in politics in line with the protocol of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights as they affect the rights of women.