Our Equal Future ,The Environment and Gender Equality by Prof. Sabitu Olagoke

We must be earnest in our approach to drastically reducing the threats to gender equality and provide for the environment of the girl child to thrive and attain her full potential. Empowering the girl child is a silver bullet that will solve age-long snags of alleviating poverty, eradicating feamle gential mutilation, tackling the problem of poor hygiene and malnutrition, reducing maternal and child morbidity, putting a stop to domestic abuse, rape, etc. We cannot over emphasize the benefits of gender equality to national development, and it is pivotal to achieving other Sustainable Development Goals(SGDs). The girl child, most especially in African countries, Nigeria in particular, still suffers various forms of oppression and inequality due to gender discrimination and the vulnerability of her status as a child, some of which include: gender stereotyping, sexual and gender based violence, child marriage, child trafficking, access to technology, healthcare, nutrition and education. All these factors have adverse effects on the life of girls and thus, it is important that their realities are brought to light, now more than ever. It is the duty of the government and the citizens of any nation to ensure and protect the rights of all girls by working to execute the tenets of the global agendas which have been established for the empowerment and protection of girls through advancing their voices for this cause. Lending one's voice also includes criticizing and challenging discriminatory laws, harmful laws and customary practices. It only takes one person's action or inaction for inequality and discrimination to be inflicted on the girl child. Thus, it will be through each person's voice or continual contribution that a collective effort towards a more fair and just society, free of oppression and discrimination, can be formed and lead to an equal future for every girl child. Let us all come together and show our commitment by dedicating resources to girls to realize their rights and fulfill their full potential, because achieving gender equality and women's empowerment is integral to each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Only by ensuring the rights of women and girls across all the goals would we get to justice and inclusion, economies that work for all, and sustaining our shared environment now and for future generations.
Solomon Adewunmi is the Editor-in-Chief of New Federation (news2day.emyspot.com), People(2day.emyspot.com) and Federationewsday(one.emyspot.com) He attended Ajeromi Ifelodun High School, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos and the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. He possesses - * BBC/EC CERTIFICATE IN NEWS JOURNALISM (FEB. 2001) * CERTIFICATE IN ARTS AND CULTURE CRITICISM (NANTAP MAY 2001) * CERTIFICATE IN PEACE JOURNALISM (JUSTICE, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE COMMISSION) *CERTIFICATE IN CONFLICT ANALYSIS[UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMME, OCT.2004] *CERTIFICATE IN INTERFAITH CONFLICT RESOLUTION( UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE, JAN. 2009).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Understanding Repression

Image
The bad harvest of 1792 in England, the grave discontent among the people, the high rate of unemployment, the prohibitive prices of food items, repression by the government among numerous other factors had adverse effects on its socio-economic and political development. In Nigeria in 2021, insecurity, hunger, poverty, the high unemployment rate, violent crimes, incompetence, misplaced priorities, mediocrity, the beautification of lies and falsehood, the condemnable activities of state actors and their agents have visible prints in every part of the country for the people to see. Indeed, the insinuation is that leadership at all levels has derailed. The ignoble roles played by the likes of John Castle, Oliver, and George Edwards, all provocative agents of the government and spies, have further dented the image of the leadership and also eroded its credibility. The actions of Pitt in the House of Commons and Grenville in the Lords resulted in the passage into law of the Seditious Meetin...
Read more

Emerging Natural Factors

Image
In most countries around the world, the interest of an individual has never been greater than those of these countries. However, this is not the case in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.Indeed, a political party that has attained political power, is at an advantage to address the fundamental national question revolving around equality and justice. Unfortunately, in Nigeria today, the political party in power is proud to have regional and ethnic alliances which have ensured a divided country. The rule of law is increasingly being rubbished on a daily basis while political and religious intolerance is now the culture and tradition.The unabating state of insecurity and the unending violence which has claimed several thousands of lives, suggests that the former and the latter have become means to various ends for Those in Authority. A political party ought to be a medium for the expression of the choice of the electorate and the avenue through which like-minded people may expr...
Read more

The Last Resort of The Common Man : Nigerians Keep Hope Alive On The Judiciary

Image
The Justice Kayode Esho panel report on the Judiciary of 1994, indicted several Judges in Nigeria for wrongdoing.  Although the report recommended most of the Judges, including Justice N.S.N Onnogben, then a Judge of the Appeal court , Calabar, Cross River state, for retirement/dismissal, the Judicial review panel headed by Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin gave most of them and Justice Onnogben a clean bill of health, thereby nullifying the recommendations of the Justice Esho panel.  Justice Onnogben was a high court Judge, when the recommendation was made, but was however, promoted to a Judge of the Appeal court.  Again, the Justice Babalakin panel reversed the recommendation by the Justice Esho panel that Justice E.I.D Emeordi of the Delta state Judiciary be dismissed.  This reversal did not go down well with the Delta state government, which eventually retired Justice Emeordi and Justice G.O Akoro. While justifying his retirement, the then Attorney General and...
Read more