From: Bianca Iboma
The prevalence of domestic violence in Nigeria has assumed a disturbing dimension. The scourge now is so rife that even severe penalties introduced by government to curb it seem incapable of serving as deterrent to offenders.
It is to stem the tide that Dr. Ama Onyerinma formed the Live Abundantly Initiative. The non-governmental organisation is focused on women empowerment, educating children that have been marginalised by poverty, and campaigning against domestic violence.
What makes a woman vulnerable to male violence?
Many women do not know their rights. When you know and understand your rights, you are empowered. I am not using the word empowerment lightly here. I mean having the knowledge of what the law stands for regarding your rights. In a situation where the law is being violated and children are involved, you need to make the right decision for yourself and the children. You are entitled to basic human privileges that need to be treated with respect. These include right to security, safety, not to be abused and demeaned. And if the laws are violated, the woman has to understand how to tackle it. But first, she must be aware of her human rights, knowing the full spectrum.
Women need to know they matter in a society. They should not be treated like second-class citizens. People should erase the notion that women are just there to bear children. Women can do more than domestic issues. Women can be part of a community and contribute to nation-building only when they are empowered and given the opportunity to contribute. I am against violence of any sort, be it physical or otherwise. I am not comfortable with violence. It is a pity that domestic violence, right now, is prevalent in Lagos State and Nigeria at large.
With the various cases and reports of violence and the frequent abuse women face, if they do not take steps in managing the situation, it may cost them their lives.
Would you say the high level of poverty and socio-economic challenges have contributed to the prevalence of domestic violence? What do you think should be done to curb it?
I don’t really know how to explain the socio-economic situation in Nigeria right now because people are suffering and hindered. When people suffer, they become uncomfortable. That makes them upset and violent. Domestic violence affects the womenfolk to a large proportion. The men equally experience domestic violence but they don’t speak up. The society does not permit them to speak. When people go through hardship, they get upset and don’t know how to control their temper. Unfortunately, it is the women and the children that bear the brunt. What should be done concerning the state of poverty in the nation? When people lack, it affects them psychologically. They become prone to violence.
When people are faced with so much lack and hardship, it affects their behaviour. It is simple psychology. The law is there to protect you, if you are aware of your rights. But when one is not aware of what the law entails, you would be maltreated.
The focus is actually on women. Everybody should have access to the economic structures. When people don’t have means of paying their bills, they lash out. Anger management crops in. This is an issue people don’t want to talk about. People get upset and don’t know how to control their temper. Abuse takes so many forms, emotional and physical, and, if one is not careful, it can lead to death.
Your NGO advocates the empowerment of women. Could you throw more light on this aspect of your work?
It is rather unfortunate, I should say, that the gender equality bill has not been passed. It failed to pass the second reading last year March.
Women have always been part of the society. Back in the day, they were administrators, they engaged in various associations and market leadership. But when colonisation came, everything changed. Women were relegated to the background. And when independence came, it was the men that were pushed forward to be educated.
There is disparity at the rate men are educated compared with women. It is disproportionate. When there is hardship in a family, the girl child is the one that the parents ask to stop schooling for the boy to continue his education, even if the girl is more brilliant. When you look at the Senate today, about 102 men are there, with just seven women.
How is the bill going to be passed, when there are no guaranteed seats for women in the Senate? What makes the male child preferable to the girl child? Women should be given equal opportunity. You are aware of some of the things the girl-child passes through in the university. After the university, she is faced with another challenge at the work environment.
Presently, the ratio of educated men in the nation is 74 per cent while the women who are educated is just 46 per cent. Why is it that a country like Nigeria that is more than 50 years old prefers educating the male? The girl child goes through a lot, but many sacrifices are made for the male child. Since women are not given the same opportunities as their male counterparts, there is gender disparity. I am not saying the women should be slotted into leadership position. They should go through the same process as the men. Education is still a very important issue. We should have more women in leadership and allow them the same opportunities as men. Governments is still very much dominated by male officials, and you have to take the opportunity to find women leaders – who are not afraid to speak up on these issues, because sometimes women leaders just cater to the views they think male leaders have. That has to change.
How can the resistance to women’s leadership in government and the public sphere be addressed?
I have got some thoughts about it, the way women socialise. Boys collaborate at an early age. While girls are busy with domestic work, the boys are allowed to play football. Boys learn at a tender age the importance of teamwork. The major challenge of gender inequality should be traced into history. Everyone has potentialities but when an equal platform is not provided, it would affect the total development of a sane society. Women find it more difficult to rise to leadership positions in a male-dominated environment.
What practical approach can government take on issues that have to do with gender inequality?
Let us pass the bill. If the bill is passed, women and men would contribute to development. Land ownership and other issues would be addressed. A lot of practical steps would reduce the inequality. So many positive actions should be embraced to empower women. Globally, women have advocated for several decades and their contribution to economic development has made women gain a global reputation in the society. Goals should be designed to promote equality of men and women. Opportunity should be provided to strengthen girls’ education. Eliminate gender inequality in employment by decreasing women’s reliance on informal employment. Increase women’s share of seats in national and local bodies as well as combat violence against women and girls.
Some people have called the SDGs unfair to developing countries due to the gap in the magnitude of development, what is your take on it?
Poverty in all its forms everywhere can never end but ordinary people can begin to unite and collaborate in their millions and demand the universal realisation of fundamental human rights by suing for economic justice. Government needs to ensure that people have access to the resources needed to meet their basic needs.
The global economy needs to be re-organised so that humanity has finite worth of resources that must be equitably distributed for the common good of all of us. When people do not have access to life’s essentials, they may simply die. The human race has to be freed from the tyranny of poverty.
Could you tell us some of the activities of Live Abundantly Initiative?
The initiative focuses on three areas: putting an end to violence against women and children, educating children that are marginalised by poverty and physiological differences, and women empowerment.
The NGO has a zero tolerance for domestic violence, hence it is embarking on sensitisation campaign that can help women get out of an abusive situation by empowering them either with skills or education.
Recently, we had a symposium where children from selected secondary school were brought together just to sensitise them on issues of domestic violence.
To what extent have religious and cultural beliefs affected the issue of domestic violence?
Cultural belief has hindered women acting against spousal abuse. Women are forced to respect tradition at their own risk. Religion and cultural beliefs would continue to hinder women from allowing the law to take it full course. Women fear stigmatisation. Religion and culture have often encouraged domestic violence.
In Nigeria, domestic violence affects women more although violence can equally affect a man. Women easily give in when pressure sets in from family or relatives of the perpetrator. In a situation where there is constant spousal abuse and the victim keeps enduring, it may result in fatality. Speak up whenever you are in a violent relationship as a woman. If you notice abused, seek counsel. Most women normally do not want to speak up. They hesitate because of their religious beliefs.