Monday, 15 April 2013

GENDER ISSUES AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A Seminar On : Gender Issues and National Development
As Presented by
ODEKA OSASERE OGHENETEGA           
    

Department:
Mass Communication Department

Level:
HND 2(Broadcast Option)



April 2013






















Abstract

Gender issues in education and by extension National development has taken center stage in academic discourse in recent times. This paper seeks to address women participation in education, women empowerment, feminism, sexual abuse/violence, women affairs commission and gender inequality. This paper Gender Issues and National development, believes that these relative gender issues are consequential in Nigeria and educationally disadvantaged states. It further examines and applauds the pivotal role of women to national development. It further views the position of women in Nigeria from the stand point of socio economic disadvantages and proposed the enforcement and repealing of oscillate laws, so as to dismantle all forms of impediments against the advancement of Nigerian women toward national development. It concludes that the government in power, political parties and all Nigerian citizens should embrace effective leadership and adopt fairness in their politics. This paper also recommends that Nigerians should play their role well in her politics by granting equal access to both genders.











Keywords: Gender and National Development
INTRODUCTION

Women have played the role of breadwinners and decision-makers in many families inthe event of the demise of the father of the house or inadequate male presence. Thisabsence which could be brought about by death, sickness, old age or other forms of physical and mental incapacitation have thrust women in the centre stage for theperformance of functions far removed from their traditional responsibility of housekeeping.
Fasugba (2000) argued that many women today are engaged in activities andjobs hitherto regarded as the exclusive reserve of men. He further states that sincewomen have become conscious of their rights, they have continued to slug it out withmen in all areas of human endeavors.
In Nigeria today, the women folk have come a long way. In business, politics, education, sports and the professions. Women have made an indelible mark in theireffort to conquer the limitations of the past that have sought to place thempermanently in the kitchen and bedroom.Be the above as it may, it is not all through a bed of roses for women and theirempowerment. The above illustration is just about the infinitesimal few number ofwomen who have been able to excel in their endeavors through their own distinct of hardwork. The majority of women in Africa, Asia, and even Europe and America have notbeen fully mobilized and empowered to contribute to national development. If it had been so, we would not have been talking about good health for women, educational, economic, social, cultural and political empowerment of women. And in all its ramifications, women would not have been segregated and discriminated against somuch so that they are sexually tortured and harassed in their seeking for employment, contracts, and political positions and in other endeavors.
In as much as this paper will present a review on the dehumanizing and traumatizing conditions of women, it will go further to take a detailed and critical lookat the major indices of women participation in national development, vis-à-vis political, economic and educational considerations. How far has the Nigerian woman achieved self-actualization in the above areas? What are the major handicaps and challenges ofwomen, and what more could be done to secure a better leverage for Nigerian women if they are to participate effectively, fully and more meaningfully in the development ofthe Nigerian nation in this 21st century?



Women and National Development: An Overview

            The position of women in Africa has been seen from the perspective of a second-
class citizen to men. They are viewed as those who look after their homes, bear and rear children for the men. According to William (1990:134), women are preoccupied with looking after the homes, men and children.
            In his view, Read (1996:19) wrote that female is female human being, mistress and servant who do the domestic chores (cleaning and cooking).
            The economic condition of women had been documented by Aderemi(1997:211); he stated that women wield substantial economic power integration into the macro and micro economy. He further stressed that women control the bulk of local and long distance trade, dominate the food processing and cottage industries, and participate actively in agriculture and health care.
            It has been stressed that women are homemaker and are known to be able to cope with jobs that are respective in nature such as agriculture, cooking and other skilled vocation occupations.
The theoretical and empirical position about women points to the fact that for any function and sustainable plan of action for national development, it should be focused on the women populace.

Women: Nature and Conditions
God creates women, described as the feminine gender for procreationand continuity. Unfortunately, they have been dehumanized and traumatized in somany ways. Of the 1.3 billion people who live in abject poverty around the globe, 70percent are women. For these women, poverty doesn’t just mean scarcity and want. Itmeans rights denied, opportunities curtailed and voices silenced.
According to Unagha (2006) poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not beingable to see a doctor. Poverty is not being able to go to school and know how to read and write. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living for just one day at a time.Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom. All these are majorly encountered andfaced by women.Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours, according to the United Nations Millennium Campaign (Unagba 2006) to halve world poverty by the year2015. The overwhelming majority of the labour that sustain life-growing food, cooking,raising children, caring for the elderly, maintaining a house, hauling water – is done bywomen, and universally this work is accorded low status and no pay. The ceaseless cycle of labour rarely shows up in economic analysis of a society’s production andvalue.Women earn only 10 percent of the world’s income. Where women work for money, they may be limited to a set of jobs deemed suitable for women-invariably lowpay, low status positions.Women own less than 1 percent of the world’s property. Where laws andcustoms prevent women from owning land or other productive assets, from gettingloans or credit or from having the right to inheritance or to own their home, they haveno assets leverage for economic stability and cannot invest in their own or theirchildren’s future.
Women make up two-thirds of the estimated 876 million adults worldwidewho cannot read or write, and girls make up 60 percent of the 77 million children notattending primary school. Education is among the most important drivers of humandevelopment; women who are educated have fewer children than those who are deniedschooling. They delay their first pregnancies, have healthier children. Each additionalyear of schooling a woman has is associated with a 5-10 percent decline in child deaths, according to the United Nations Population Fund (2010), and are far more likely tosend their own children to school.
Yet where women do not have the discretionary income to invest in their ownor their children’s education, where girls’ education is considered frivolous, and wheregirls are relied on to contribute labour to the household, they miss this unparalleledopportunity to develop their minds and spirits. Their countries suffer too.
In many societies around the world, women never belong wholly tothemselves; they are the property of others through out their life. Their physical wellbeing-health, security and bodily integrity- is often beyond their own control. Wherewomen have no control over money, they cannot choose to get health care forthemselves or their children. Where having a large number of children confers status on both men and women – indeed where child bearing may be the only marker of valueavailable to women frequent pregnancy and labour can be deadly.
World Health Organization (2008) data indicate that in Afghanistan and SierraLeone women’s lifetime chance of dying in child birth is one in seven, while in theUnited States it is one in 3,418 and in Norway and Switzerland, one in 7,300. In anygiven year, 15 percent of all pregnant women will face a life-threatening complication,and more than 500,000-99 percent of them in the developing world will die. Some 130

Empowerment of Nigerian Women towards National Development
Million girls and women, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa have been subjected to genitalcutting or mutilation at the behest of their parents, and 2 million more face the bladeevery year, according to the United Nations Population Fund (2010).Around the globe, home and community are not safe havens for a billion girlsand women. At least one in three females on earth has been physically assaulted orsexually abused, often repeatedly and often by a relative or acquaintance.
In the words of Otiteh (2004), violence against women and girls rivals cancer as a cause of morbidity be able to negotiate when and what type of sex to have, nor to protest their husbands’multiple sex partners. Poverty and exclusion push some girls and women to engage insex work, almost always the desperate, last choice of people without other choices.

Political Awareness and Participation
Though it has been observed that Nigerian women have made someappreciable impact in their contributions to the development of the Nigerian nation. It is indeed necessary to have presented how these women have been dehumanized andtraumatized. This is imperative because this writer does not want to create anyimpression that it has been a bed of roses for Nigerian women and indeed other womenin South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
The active participation of a large number of women in the political fora is strangely a new phenomenon. Although in the past, Nigeria has seen amazons like Margareth Ekpo, Fumilayo Ransome Kuti, Madam Tinubu of Lagos and a handful ofother activist, women have often been relegated to the background in national politics.
This situation however seem to be changing as women are now making serious andappreciable impact in the political life of the country, especially since the 2005 Berlin conference and women affirmative position (Aweh, 2006).
Emezi (1998) held the view that women have not featured meaningfully inNigeria’s political life. He opines that “… looking back at the political development ofthis country an independent observer will conclude that women have contributed nextto nothing in this very important aspect of human life.” He feels that the role of womenin political matters is as minimal as it is in many other fields.
The lateness of Nigerian women into Nigerian political arena has been blamedon the deliberate colonial policy of undermining the political zeal of the Nigerianwoman (Coleman, 2007). He argued that the effort of women were violently disruptedby the colonial experience. Women seemed to be the most hard hit, for with their Western pre-conception of female inferiority the colonial administrators tended torelegate women to the background of irrelevance in the scheme of governance.
It is instructive to note at this point that in the last forty to fifty years, Nigerian women have created a noticeable impact in the political life of the nation. In thetraditional African society, several factors combined to relegate women to the second fiddle role and participation in national affairs. Such factors include culturalplacements, religious belief systems and traditional prejudices. Despite these serious handicaps or impediments which are actively exploited by the men folk, Nigerian women have been seen to break even, such that today they have become a force toreckon with in the developmental processes of the nation.
Agoawike (2000) believed that the fourth Republic has been a period of re-awakeningfor Nigerian women both in terms of elected offices and political appointments. She expressed her feelings; “it might not be an exaggeration to say that the fourth Republichas been the best outing in political participation for Nigerian women.”
During the civilian government of Obasanjo, women seemed to be adequately accommodated and placed in areas of intense visibility as they held important andprominent positions. Women headed the Ministries of Aviation and Transport.The Ministers of State for Science and Technology and the sensitive Ministry ofdefense were also women. These women were able to prove that they possess thequality, talents and character traits required not only for the growth of the nation but forthe enhancement of the progress and well-being of the human society in general.
Today, many women occupy elective and appointive positions. For example, in the appoint of Commissioners and advisers made by Governor T. A. Orji of Abia State and sworn inon Wednesday, 3rd August 2011, over 35 percent of the appointees are women.Women are indeed making their mark in the political affairs of the Nigerian nation(Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State 6’oclock news bulletin of 3-8-2011).
Business and Economy
Perhaps, the most eloquent statement for the pivotal role women have playedand are still playing in the 50 years of Nigeria’s independence is the appointment ofNdiiOkerekeOnyiuke as managing Director of the Nigeria Stock Exchange. Not onlyis she the first Nigerian woman to tower above thousands of well qualified men toclinch this most powerful positions in Nigeria’s economic and financial establishment; she is an embodiment of the traditional doggedness and fierce determination of theNigerian woman not to be swept aside most especially in the affairs of the nation(Fasugba, 2000).
The above statement, though flamboyant and glamorous is an eloquent testimony to the pivotal role the feminine gender is now playing in the development ofthe Nigerian economy. It is indeed a remarkable feat for a woman to preside “at thesecond largest and most dynamic stock exchange in Africa”. (Agoawike, 2000).
Onyiuke is not alone in her role as a major actor in the economic live wire of thenation. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iwala was the Minister of Finance who worked tirelessly toget a reprieve for Nigeria’s debt during the Obasanjor civilian regime. Today she hasbeen reappointed the same minister of finance by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Also, Olitayin Olakunrin was once the president of ICAN-Institute of chartered Accountants of Nigeria for a number of years. Prisca Soares once held the head of the National Insurance Corporation of Nigerian (NICON), the biggest insurance conglomerate. Bola Kuforigi Olubimi and Maria Sokenu once held highprofile positions as managing directors of UBA and People Bank respectively. Do wehave to forget the contributions of Prof Dora Akunyili and Mrs Oby Ezekwesili and a whole lot of others.
Njoku (2006) strongly felt that Nigeria today could boast of “a rich history ofwomen achievers”. This writer posits that right from the pre-colonial times, Nigerianwomen have battled their way to recognition in Nigeria. They have been able to work a very tight rope in a society that is still very traditional and create a balance between thetraditional role of women in an African society and gaining empowerment to wield influence rather than subordinate to the role of their male counterparts. Women have made significant contributions in terms of manpower resources and general economicreturns at various levels to the economic development of the nation. In fact, Nigerian women have shown remarkable zeal and shrewdness in the economic development of the nation.
Education
From the period of the early 5th century B.C. philosophers like Socrates, Aristotle, Plato and others, education has been accepted as a major instrument ofchange and development in the society.
Njoku (2006) held the view that women, as a result of their educational background are now in the best position to make the home more comfortable for their husbands and children. Aside from being sympathetic and loving wives, most educated women are more often the breadwinners of their families in cases where the husbands in one way or the other cannot assist the family.Women have since independence attained Olympian heights in the administrative hierarchy and academic institutions of the country. Dr Phillipa Idogho is at the head on Nigeria’s distinguished polytechnic. Grace Alele Williams (Prof) blazed the trail as the first Nigerian woman to occupy the office of Vice Chancellor in a Nigerian University (University of Benin). Jadesola Akande and Laraba Abdulahi also attained the same status in university administration. Bolanle Awe was the director of the Institute of African Studies for many years.
In Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions, women have risen to top positions as professors, deputy vice chancellors, deans, directors, heads of department, and rectorsand provosts of polytechnics and colleges of Education Professor Stella Ogbuagu whohas worked as a consultant on demography at the UN was sometimes the Deputy ViceChancellor of Abia State University, Uturu. A couple of decades ago, the journalism profession was seen largely as the exclusive reserve for men.
Today, the story has tremendously changed as women havemade substantial in-road into the top echelon of the profession. Doyin Abiola, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, now a member of the House of Representatives and the Late May Ellen, Ezikiel (later May Ellen RMD), Mrs Remi Oyo, and a host of others in the TV andradio broadcasting media are in there in the list as women journalists who have excelled(Agoawike, 2000).
There is indeed no gain saying the fact that women in all its ramifications have tremendously contributed to the growth and development of Nigeria in all areas theyfound themselves.
Challenges to Nigerian Women in Contributing Effectively to National
Development
In spite of the seemingly remarkable achievements recorded so far, Nigerianwomen remain severely constrained in their efforts to play a major and decisive role inthe socio-political and economic development of the nation.
Tombere (2004) blamed the colonial authorities for setting a dangerous stageand precedence for the weakening of the influence and role of women through what hasbeen described as the “abrogation of the social stability” which the Nigerian societyhad enjoyed before the coming and intrusion of the British colonialists. The result ofthis dislocation was the relegation of the role and functions of women to the background in the Nigerian society, particularly in the areas of leadership and political responsibility.
Most traditional societies in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia see the role of women as fundamentally revolving around child rearing and general domestic care of the family. With the duties of women so rigidly defined, they assume their duties ofcooking, washing and childbearing and then see themselves even in their marital homesas a figure to be seen and not to be heard (Fasuba, 2000). This situation creates aculture of male supremacy, superiority and dominance with little consideration given to the thoughts and feelings of women in the larger scheme of things.
Women in Nigeria like in other developing countries of the world suffer from undue discrimination, marginalization, and exploitation by the menfolk through theimplementation of their culture of religious and traditional beliefs, which placed men assuper human beings. Globally, the access of women to finance and capital is sominimal that women are generally disadvantaged in terms of economic stability and independence.
Research and studies have shown that despite the enormous amount ofworkwomen do, they control less than ten percent of the world’s resources.Another worthy to note challenge raised by Yomi (2007) is what he describedas the “paternal system of descent” in which generations are identified through maleoffspring’s. The responsibility for the preservation and continuity of the family tree restson the male children and special recognition are accorded them in the preparation for their adult roles.
The female children on the other hand, are seen as commodities thatwould sooner or later be sold off to distant homes in distant lands. This explains whythe birth of a male child is an occasion for celebration and joy than the birth of females. Women on their part do not often see themselves as viable instruments ofpolitical participation and growth. The complacency of women in several aspects of national life not only reduces their capacity for maneuver in a male dominated societybut also helps in perpetuating the culture of reducing women to positions and roles of second fiddle.
In business, women do not often involve themselves in high profile ventures.They prefer instead to engage in petty trading where the gains and losses are articulatedat the end of each day. Uchendu (1993) believed that women see politics as a dirtygame, a business which involves huggers, intimidation, rigging, assassination, kidnapping of opponents and all sorts of electoral violence which are brought into playin order to gain an undue advantage over opponents. Women being the weaker sex donot always have the strength and courage required to cope with the rigors of politics ina developing country like Nigeria.

























Conclusion
It is the contention of this paper that the implementation of theserecommendations should not be done in isolation of the other. Rather they should besystematically and holistically taken. Once this is achieved, the empowerment ofNigerian women and the contributions to national development would be a foregoneConclusion.

Recommendations
Empowering Nigerian women towards national development should be amatter of national top priority that demands the attention and genuine commitment ofevery responsible member of the society. It is along this line that the paper feelsinclined to put across some useful suggestions and recommendations which could bebrought into play for the realization of the noble goals of women’s contributions tonational development. There should be new ground for Nigerian women to rekindle their hope and faith in the ability of the systemto provide for its people irrespective of sex, age, ability, religious inclination and other mundane considerations.
The Nigerian nation owes the women folk the responsibility of removing thoseartificial and institutional barriers based on religion, culture or traditionalconsiderations which have incapacitated the ability of Nigerian women to participate effectively and freely in national affairs particularly at the political and economic levels.
Every Nigerian child, including the girl child is entitled to good education, employment, social and health services, and protection from abuse and exposure to thevicissitudes of life. These are the rights of the Nigerian child and should not be seen asa privilege. Suffice it to say therefore that the Universal Basic Education recentlyintroduced by the Federal Government should be given all the encouragement andsupport it needs to succeed.
            Even though recommendation had been made in the past aimed at improving the girl-child education, not much had been done to enforce the recommendation, policies and programs. Nevertheless, the following approaches may further amplify the need for female education for sustainable national development:

1-      Government should put in place the necessary legal instrumentendorsed by the legislative arm of government to prohibit and persecute those that encourage gender bias to the girl-child.
2-      Government should launch massive and aggressive functional adult literacy education in all states and local government council in Nigeria.
3-      Religious leaders and organizations should preach the need for formal education as a necessary tool for advancing spiritual fulfillment
4-      Scholarship and bursary should be given to female to encourage them to progress in their educational pursuit.
















References
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Babatunde, M. (1997). Basic institutions of society. Lagos: Lagos University Press

Coleman, J. (2007). Nigerian background to nationalism. Los Angeles: University
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Fasuba, O. (2000). Vacancy: Tough women only. The Punch (2/5/2000). Lagos: The
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International Labour Organization.(2009). The HIV/AIDS pandemic in Sub-Sahara
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Thursday, 28 February 2013

A RADIO PROGRAMME TITTLED OUR HERITAGE


                                                                        Synopsis
The programme titled Our Heritage is a 30mins talk programme that would examine different societal trends that stands against every basic culture of the Nigerian society and examines the abuse against women and further gives critical analysis of activities of the government. Its maiden edition would deal on the topic - INTERGRITY

SHOW TITLE: OUR HERITAGE
TOPIC: INTERGRITY
DURATION: 30MINS
NARRATOR/HOST: TEGAKLAN
PRODUCER: ODEKA OSASERE OGHENETEGA

CUE IN THEME TUNE
FADE UNDER THEME TUNE (3MINS)
ANCHOR : INTRODUCES THE PROGRAM AND WELCOME LISTNERS. GIVE OUT THE TOPIC FOR DISCUSS (5MINS)
MUSIC BREAK (D’BANJ- TOP OF THE WORLD)
 FADE UNDER THEME TUNE(3MINS)
ANCHOR : WELCOMES AUDIENCE BACK AND DISCUSSES THE ISSUE; GIVES OUT STATION NUMBER FOR CALLS AND FEEDBACK FROM LISTNERS (12MINS)
MUSIC BREAK (2FACE- FOR INSTANCE)
FADE UNDER THEME TUNE (3MINS)
ANCHOR : THANKS AUDIENCE FOR LISTENING AND PARTICIPATING(3MINS)
ANCHOR : RECEIVES FEEDBACK FROM LISTNERS (5MINS)
RAP UP FORMALITIES