By Esther Onyegbula
National governing body Innerwheel clubs in Nigeria has called on Nigerians especially women to promote social and cultural values that seek to include and empower girls and young women.
The call was made at the just concluded 32nd Annual National Conference Rally of the National Governing Body of Inner Wheel Clubs in Nigeria held in Ilesa, Osun State, recently.
Speaking at the event, the guest speaker, Yeye Asiwaju (Dr) Olubisi Fasuyi, Chief Consultant, Supreme Management and Training Consultancy Services, said that as change agents there is urgent need to promote enabling environment for women’s voice to be heard, for her to participate in decision making and exercise leadership, we would most likely promote and create something unique, special and of high value; a culture that celebrates and empower women.
Fasuyi noted that one of the greatest obstacles to equality are some of the cultural norms that we as women and girls perpetuate through socialisation in our communities, social circles and families which we imbibe into our children as culture or values or by explaining justifying defending and allowing negative cultural stereotypes in our day to day conversation, counselling and social interactions. Over time our socialisation process has reproduced the prejudice that leads to many forms of injustice and inequalities in our society”.
What values are we inculcating in our children? Are we interested in empowering our daughters but engendering inequalities for other people’s daughter? There is considerable evidence that parents socialise sons and daughters differently, are we socialising our sons to be agent of gender inequality. Are we comfortable when our sons are pro-women empowerment in their homes? Our actions and inactions as women in perpetuating gender inequality, discrimination and oppression must be consciously reviewed.
Highlights of the three-day event which ran from the 31st January to 3rd of February 2019, included commissioning of District Projects, Health Fair, induction ceremony of new members, novelty football march and courtesy visit to HRM Oba Moses Oluwafemi Agusoye, the Elegboro of Ijebu-Ijesa land.
Some of the award recipients recognised for their contributions towards girl child development were: Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi, CEO Ibadan Business School; Princess Elemanya Ebilah, Honourable Commissioner of Tax Appeal Tribunal, South West zone; Engr. Dideolu Falobi, President of Ijesaland Development Foundation; Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, First Lady of Ekiti State; Deaconess Omolara Ajoke Adelekan, Director, Upper spring Hotel and Suites; Barrister Augusta Omodele Omoni, Olori Omolara Temitayo Agunsoye, Olori Laafin Elegboro of Ijebu-Ijesa; Peter Ojo, CEO VTNetwork Limited; Dr Ifeoluwa Iyabode Olusanmi, and Otunba Akeem Olowooperjobori, Executive Chairman of Ilesa East local government.
Emphasising the need to change the narratives, Mrs. Nnenna Opebiyi, National Representative/ President National Governing Body of Inner Wheel Clubs in Nigeria, said too often, adolescent women and girls face intersecting disadvantages possibly due to age, ethnic background, religion affiliation, income, disability and particularly because of their sex.
“We have seen pictures, evoked images of girls and women in different situations that live with disadvantage even in developed countries.”
“If we must change the narratives, eliminating gender-based violence is a priority. In addition to equal distribution of economic resources, which is not only a right, but accelerated development in multiples areas, there needs to be fair balance of responsibility for unpaid care work between and women.
Source: 
No comments:
Post a Comment