General
Source: All Africa
IN an effort to advance the course of women's rights, a non-governmental organization, Voices for Change (V4C) and Lagos monarchs have agreed to give their support to the womenfolks.
They said they would not want women to be denied certain rights as the men.
This was the outcome of a workshop recently organized by V4C with prominent monarchs with the aim of fostering gender equality in the society.
According to the facilitator of V4C, Denis Onoise, there is need for men to join in the crusade for women rights. He said it will make a greater impact when men begin to talk about gender equality, rather than looking at it as women issue.
The event, which had in attendance over 20 monarchs from across Lagos, turned out to be an opportunity for them to lend their support for the rights of women in society, saying the time has come for women to enjoy certain rights they had hitherto been denied of.
Speaking on the creation story, the Omola of Odomola, Epe, Oba S.T. Odutola, said man's superiority over woman is by God, but women should be respected.
On the influence of culture on gender issues, the Olu of Ilogbo, Oba Moses Olaleye, said there is error in our culture, such that in bringing up our children, the girl child is often regarded as a weaker sex. He also criticized the tradition that permits the collection of exorbitant dowries at marriage in some part of the country.