• says women not out to compete with men
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The UN Women Representative to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Beatrice Eyong, has commanded traditional rulers in the country for leading role they are playing to end gender based violence and gender inequality in their domains.
She gave the commendation at the maiden edition of UN Women Nigeria Media Partners Conference 2023 in Abuja with the theme: “Escalating media action for women’s empowerment and ending violence against women and girls.”
She commended the royal fathers for putting up a billboard calling for an end to gender based violence, saying the action was encouraging to women.
She also hinted on the traditional rulers planned open day in five states, where they will be talking against gender base violence.
Eyong expressed concerns that Gender based violence was perpetuating poverty and under-development, saying “Eradicating GBV is an economic intervention”.
She explained that UN Women is the leading agency with the mandate to coordinate everything concerning gender equality and women empowerment. It also supports coordination among development partners, say the agency is in full grasped of what is happening in the six geo political zones as far as gender equality and women employment is concerns in the 36 states of the federation including the federal capital
Territory (FCT).
She said all the reports on 16 days activism on gender base violence from all the states were being coordinated seemlessly.
Eyong emphasised that the call for gender equality is not a move to challenge men for their position, but for equal opportunities for all genders to excel.
She noted that the words gender and gender equality have brought about confusion, with many believing that gender equality means men should become women while women should become mean.
She said: “One interesting thing is what is gender, what is gender equality. Because these two words have brought confusion. Some people think that gender equality means we want women should become men and men should become women, that is far from the truth.
“Gender simply means roles, responsibilities, comportment, attitudes that have been assigned to men and to women. Gender is not the biological and natural difference between men and women. It is a social construct, constructed by men and women.
“…We are not talking about women taking over men’s position but to provide equal opportunities to women just as men, removing the inequalities that block people from progressing,” she said.
She noted that in this decade, African countries are having annual growth up to 7% but notwithstanding, it has not reduce poverty because of gender inequality, saying: “So gender equality is important for her development.”
The UNWomen country representative stressed the importance of the media to help end gender-based violence, promote women empowerment and equality.
“The work we do is changing behaviour and we know the media can help us. We want to bring women’s issues to the front burner,” she said.
She regretted gender inequality had stopped Nigeria from achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs) and May Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to her, achieving 35 per cent affirmative action is important to bring about development in Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the Council of Traditional Leaders of Africa (COTLA), Chairman Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Lawrence Agubuzo, assured the Conference of the backing of the traditional institution in Nigeria.
The Enechi Ekuma IV Okposi Kingdom in Ohaozara, Ebonyi State, not that Nigeria was the first to ratified the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, better known as the Maputo Protocol but regretted that its implementation has not been widely reported by the media.
He said: “People need to know that the Nigerian government has made commitment against gender violence.
“You have the backing of the traditional rulers. Every Nigerian comes from a community. We are backing you, be bold to have an end of violence to Nigerian women. We hope that women and children are better treated and Nigeria must lead in this action.”
The traditional ruler who said he had the backing of his colleagues across Africa, said the institution supports all efforts to empower women, bring them out of poverty and fight against gender-based violence.
The event was attended by media from across Nigeria. The highlight of the event is the media for gender equality workplan that outlines the priorities for 2024.
Participants also made written commitments to escalate Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) in Nigeria.