General
Source: Daily Trust
Women play crucial roles in developing the society. They have the responsibility of maintaining a healthy society starting from their roles in nurturing the family unit to their contribution in the various sectors of the country.
The first women panel in the country with the theme, 'Women and social responsibility', organised by Ufuk Dialogue Foundation in collaboration with Daily Trust Newspaper was held in Abuja last Saturday.
Women from all walks of life ranging from politics, business, media, fashion, entertainment, education, religious , educational and philanthropic sectors were all at the Nigerian Turkish Nile University, the venue of the event, to deliberate, empower and inspire the next generation of women in Nigeria in carrying out their social responsibilities and building a better society.
The panelists Include; An Advisory Board Member, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Dame Priscillia Kuye, Secretary General, Women's Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi and Professor Sengul Celik of the Fatih University Istanbul Turkey. An Editorial Board Member of Daily Trust Newspaper, Hajiya Aisha Kabiru Yusuf was the Moderator. Dame Priscillia Kuye in her paper entitled: 'Expectations from women on family and business life and the ability to manage both' said that women are unable to fully participate in the labour market because of illiteracy or inadequate education.
She said inadequate education makes it easier for women to be marginalised. "Child bearing and family responsibilities, like looking after a sick husband or child makes women's commitment to work less than men's. Nigeria is a patriarchal society and so men usually exert maximum influence over decisions affecting income, family land, property etc. Marginalisation of women in these crucial areas prevent them from contributing to the development of the socio-economic sector. Women also lack access to credit facilities because of their weak economic base.
"Tradition and customs also relegate women and ensure perpetual female subordination in most Nigerian communities", she said.
She said: "Women are the salt of the Earth. The role of women are pivotal to the well being of the human society. Women are specially endowed with intuition, patience, resourcefulness, resilience, unique ability for proper planning and a high capacity for attention to detail that enables them to manage their household efficiently even under very harsh economic conditions in the country. Our rural women in Nigeria are only surviving by the sheer grace of God and their ingenuity because the Poverty Alleviation Programme has not reached many of them." Mrs Kuye said.
Professor Dr. Celik, in her paper presentation titled: 'The New Women Movement' tried to compare the movement by some women in Turkey who tried to overcome their sufferings but at the same time wanted to maintain the basics of their culture. "The way they adopted as a way forward was neither global nor local. They reshaped their society keeping its own ethical and cultural values with minimizing sufferings. This new approach was named the 'glocal' model to solve women's suffering problems'. Turkish women changed the standard participation of Muslim women who are usually out of the public sphere of life. They showed that Islam is a way of life which could help women emancipation."
Speaking on the topic: 'The position of woman in the social structure as a good mother and as a successful individual,' Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi said the key is education at all costs and success will follow. She said there is still low gender knowledge and perception of women in public life especially in leadership, adding that there should be no discrimination between boys and girls as is still happening in some parts of the country, as there is no basis for it.
She advises that for the woman and the family to succeed, there should be support to offset minor stipends, there should be mutual respect, love and consideration, friendship over and above marriage, spending quality time together, sincere exchange of gifts and pleasantries, and no violence in the home.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina said the government realises that the responsibilities of women in the society are enormous and it is doing everything within its power to see that women are well represented in all spheres of life. She said though the 35% representation needed by women has not been achieved, they are working to make sure women are in positions where they can contribute their social responsibilities diligently.
Wife of the FCT Minister and Mother of the Day, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed said the contribution of women in the society can never be under estimated. "That is why my foundation took it upon itself to see to the needs of the less privileged women. We cannot fold our hands as women and ignore the needs of other humans because we are not involved. We as women have been created to care for all in the society even if we are not in any way related.
She called for more efforts to educate the girl child especially in communities where girls still don't go to school. She urged mothers to acquire religious education as it will enable them raise their children well.
Mrs. Amina Tuylu, from the Ufuk Dialogue Foundation and an avid supporter of women emancipation in Nigeria and Africa as a whole gave the following advise," a woman who is committed to bringing change in the society will pave way for women by sharing and encouraging young ladies and even the old. This way if we put hands together, Women can bring about the desired change in the country. Women are a powerful force but together we are unstoppable. This is the first of its kind and we hope that by next year we can build on more progress."