SRHIN AFRICA Website
Gender equality is not just a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a peaceful and sustainable world. Some progress on women’s rights has been achieved over the last decade, but the world is still not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030. Work still needs to be done, particularly in Nigeria, to achieve gender equality. In 2015, 43.4% of women between the ages of 20–24 were married or in a union before age 18. The adolescent birth rate as of 2017 was 106 per 1,000 women aged 15–19, down from 120 per 1,000 in 2015. In February 2021, only 3.6% of the seats in the government parliament were held by women. And in 2018, 13.2% of women aged 15–49 reported that they had been subject to physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months. Moreover, women of reproductive age (15–49 years) often face barriers with respect to their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Despite progress, in 2018, 35.6% of women had their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods. The recent economic and social fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation even bleaker. Undeniably, women have an enormous impact on the well-being of their families and societies, but their potential is sometimes not realized because of discriminatory social norms, incentives, and legal institutions. Although their status has improved in recent decades, gender inequalities persist.
The Present
Gender equality in Nigeria was reported at 0.3333% in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Women’s health services are poorly funded and faced with major disruptions. Violence against women remains endemic. 75% of legal frameworks that promote, enforce, and monitor gender equality under the SDG indicator, with a focus on violence against women, have been instituted. Gender bias is undermining our social fabric and devaluing all of us. And despite women’s leadership in responding to COVID-19, they still trail men in securing the decision-making positions they deserve. Gender inequality is not just a human rights issue; it is notably a tremendous waste of the world’s human potential.
The Future
While the Nigerian Constitution provides for gender equality and non-discrimination, women continue to suffer injustice and marginalization. This is often a result of discriminatory laws, religious and cultural norms, gender stereotypes, low levels of education, and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women. Commitment and bold action are needed to accelerate progress, including through the promotion of laws, policies, budgets, and institutions that advance gender equality. Education is one of the most important aspects of human development, and eliminating gender disparity at all levels of education would help to increase the status and capabilities of women. By denying women equal rights, we deny half the population a chance to live life to the fullest. Political, economic, and social equality for women will benefit all the world’s citizens. Together, we can eradicate prejudice and work for equal rights and respect for all.