By Charles E. Uche Esq & Hyeladzira J. Mshelia

In the view of Socrates, intellectualism allows that “one will do what is right or best just as soon as one truly understands what is right or best.” The virtue is a purely intellectual matter, since virtue and knowledge are familial relatives, which a person accrues and improves with dedication to reason.

Thus, the aim of this article is to make people understand what is right and best, so they can be better in respect to the “gender problem”.

I, recently, read a piquant novella by Chimamanda N. Adichie “We Should All Be Feminists”. With instrumentality of the book, I mirrored our society, cultures, laws, and so forth, as well as my relationship with women and found institutionalised and inherent flaws. These flaws usually require a consciousness to be conspicuous or be noticed. A consciousness which many men fail to have because of “male privilege”. An ignorant privilege.

Just a few weeks ago, a Northern representative in the House of Representatives Chamber, ignorantly commented that women should be allowed to succeed, given opportunities, but not too much and his wife depends on him. As he said this, I anxiously waited for the Speaker of the House to call him to order for the comment. I was disappointed when he let it pass. Albeit, the disappointment was short-lived as soon as I remembered the sad reality that Nigeria is a nation that mostly regards women in general as chattels; and whose laws and cultural practises are oppressive to the feminine gender. A typical example is section 55 (1)(d) of the Penal Code which permits a husband to beat his wife for the purpose of correcting her. Interestingly, the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015 prohibits and penalize spousal battery, but not spousal rape. 

The relationship between gender and violence is intricate. Different roles and behaviours of females and males, children as well as adults, are shaped and reinforced by gender norms within society. Often gender inequalities increase the tendency of women to be susceptible to violence and abuses. For instance, traditional beliefs and social norms portray that men have a right to control women and unfortunately, this  preconditioning also hinders the ability of affected women to come out of abusive situations or seek support. It’s interesting to see a wide range of bilateral, multilateral, philanthropic, and civil society actors – such as Connected Development [CODE] – working towards tackling barbaric social norms that deny girls of the right to education, women of the right to ambition and rape culture. CODE is also advocating for an end to Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.

I had in mind to write an elaborate appraisal of Ms. Adichie’s work vis-à-vis other contemporary issues affecting the female gender in Nigeria, and demonstrating how I am occasionally guilty of this “ignorant bias” as a young male.

In addition to reading Adichie’s “Dear Ijeawele or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions”, I’ll attempt to make a much more succinct article on the entire issue.

Without much ado, here are ten (10) points from the book that need imbibing:

1. Feminism arises from a “consciousness” of being; and Men can be feminists too.
2. In the quest for equality, men who adopt a hands-off approach; who bask in the comfort of “male privilege” are tacitly promoting misogyny, patriarchy and androcentrism.
3. Men (and women) must be “actively” thinking about, noticing and discussing gender problems (in the family, work place, cultures, laws, etc) with hopes of devising solutions to them.
4. The reorientation of the mind, especially in the upbringing of our kids is crucial to tackling the gender problem. To decry gender-specific roles and expectations, we cannot raise boys to be hard and stoic in order to be a “Man” and girls to be soft and courteous.
5. The fact that males have more testosterone level and thus, are physically stronger than females does not make females the “weaker vessels”.
6. We don’t live in the stone “survivor of the fittest” age anymore where the physically-stronger exercises dominance over the less physically-stronger. Women don’t need the “protection” or “approval” of men.
7. A person’s qualifications, ability to be innovative, creative, intelligent and hard-working should be largely instrumental to constructing his/her way to success(regardless of sex).
8. Bottom/seductive power is not true power. It is just having the “free road” to the person who wields true power. Women must seek to develop themselves and wield that true power.
9. Women should be true to themselves, challenge themselves, aim above Mt. Everest (there’s nothing like being “too successful/intimidating) and never be afraid of shattering the fragile ego and bloated self-worth of ignorant weak men.
10. We should all be Feminists. In its undiluted, unadulterated, egalitarianism sense as it pertains to social, political and economic status of sexes.

And to conclude, while Chimamanda’s views on equality and feminism may not necessarily be the standard or all-embracing, she, however, raised and discussed solid points which both sexes must reflect upon as we seek to establish a society where no one is a “Second Class citizen”, as Buchi Emecheta wrote. Hence, we (men and women, alike) must all unlearn the centuries-long gender bias we’ve internalized while growing up; and seek to learn proper sex relations in the path to equality of sexes.

This piece was first published on 22nd March, 2018

by Mukhtar Modibbo Halilu

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has not only revealed the poor state of infrastructure and facilities in the health sector of  Nigeria but has also revealed the reality of the dilapidation and poor funding of the education sector. Aside from the health sector, no other area has suffered the impact of COVID-19 like education.

While many countries have easily adapted and switched to virtual classes, in Nigeria, it is not only difficult but also impossible to open our schools virtually due to lack of facilities necessary to operate virtual classes, poor provision of internet network,  unstable power supply, high cost of mobile data and other challenges. Many children were out of school even before the pandemic, and even more have dropped out due to the pandemic. CODE’s research on the impact of COVID on Girls’ Education revealed that a significant number of guardians and parents in Nigeria’s North-East were certain that their girls will not be returning to school.

The learn from home teaching method introduced by the Nigerian Ministry of Education to teach through radio and television is not yielding the desired results. The electricity supply in the nation is below average and the majority of Nigerians are living below the poverty line and cannot afford televisions or radios.

The need to Protect Education Budgets

The need to protect education budgets has never been more urgent. Records show that for the past ten years, the Nigerian education sector allocation has not reached the UNESCO recommended 10 to 15% of budget in developing countries. This has led to teachers’ strikes at all levels of education in Nigeria,  with other calamities that have reduced the once proud education sector into a puppet and a complete laughing stock in international education rating standards.

In Nigeria, basic education is financed through concurrent financing from the three tiers of government—Federal, State and Local Government Authority, with distinct financing mandates and responsibilities for each tier. The Federal Government provides 50% and the State and local government as 30% and 20% respectively.

As a result, state investment in education is heavily reliant on the federal account allocation,  making its educational goals susceptible to challenges of national resource mobilization (COVID-19, International Oil Price Fluctuation) and expenditure management.

The Federal Government of Nigeria allocated the sum of 568 billion Naira (approx. USD 1.5 billion) to education in 2020. However as a result of COVID this allocation was reduced to 509 billion Naira (approx. USD 1.34 billion). This has pressured public schools into dismissing hundreds of temporary staff members, and skyrocketed student school fees in various institutions, thereby increasing the inequality in education. 

In addition, the attacks on education facilities in Northeast Nigeria have destroyed infrastructure worth billions of Naira and resulted in the deaths of countless students and teachers.  This destruction requires funding to rebuild and to employ more teachers, as well as strengthen the security to assure the safety of teachers and learners.

Nigeria’s Debt Status

As of March 31, 2020, Nigeria’s debt was at 28.6 trillion Naira (USD79.3 billion). As the country addresses this debt burden, funding to social sectors, especially education, is likely to pay the price. Lack of support for education will affect wider development issues including health, poverty and economic growth, as well as the empowerment of women and young people. This will thereby have a lasting impact on the nation’s economy, safety, literacy and equality. Education provides the platform to improve the quality of life and continuous  regeneration of knowledge, capacity and skill in the society for continuous productivity and development. 

Recommendation

Now is the time for education leaders to step up their investment in education and increase enrollment to schools, especially for girls. All stakeholders must double their efforts to sustain the recorded achievement and contribute to the realization of SDG 4.

To increase enrolment and improve the security of students, we must ensure adequate financing for education and protect education budgets during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.  Education must be accessible to all without any form of discrimination. 

Connected Development’s (CODE) Follow the Money initiative, with the support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, helped improve the delivery of $1.5 million of education funds in Kaduna state in Nigeria, under the universal basic education spend. The project engaged communities and kept them informed on government projects and resources, and it helped them advocate for accountability with contractors and officials. According to a case study and documentary video on the initiative, Follow the Money improved access to education, strengthened accountability, and resulted in delivery of public goods across sectors to neglected communities. A comic strip that pairs with the study tells the story of a family, local media advocacy, and community meetings ultimately achieving better conditions at their school.

While communities are entitled to many services, often the delivery can be hampered by corruption. MacArthur grantee CODE helps give communities the tools to advocate for their priorities and find achievable targets for change. The case study shares take-aways for similar contexts, including supporting local leaders, focusing on near-term successes before long-term change, using holistic monitoring to see multiple measures of success.

Via MacArthur Foundation

Hamzat Lawal tops finalist for World Leading Sustainability Award in Sweden

Anti-corruption activist and Founder of Follow The Money, Hamzat Lawal, has emerged a finalist in the Sweden WIN WIN Gothenburg Sustainability Award, alongside Icelandic whistleblower, Jóhannes Stefánsson, Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA), and Italy’s lead prosecutor, Nicola Gratteri.

Lawal and the other finalists were selected “after the jury carefully reviewed 64 nominations from 34 countries around the world, who actively oppose corruption and thus strengthen our opportunities for a sustainable future,” Chairperson of the WIN WIN award jury Emma Dalvag, announced.

USD4 billion is lost every year to corruption across the globe, an enormous figure, which can be compared with the USD2.9 billion financial gap that needs to be filled in order for the world to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Fighting corruption often involves risks and requires courage. We are very proud to present a wide range of finalists who, in different ways and in different parts of the world, fight for a fairer and more sustainable world, Dalvag added.” 

Expressing delight about the recognition, Hamzat Lawal says that“the work of Follow The Money is tackling corruption in government’s funding and ensuring that everyone, even in the remote areas, has equal access to basic needs. More importantly, during this COVID pandemic where our lives have been changed and altered, building back better should be the ultimate goal. I am honoured that the Gothenburg Sustainability Award recognises our efforts in this regard.”

In the past few months, the world-leading sustainability award has sought nominations from individuals and organisations that actively combat corruption and thereby improve the opportunities for the world’s countries to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

Hamzat Lawal founded Follow The Money, a Pan-African grassroots data-driven movement and leads a team of technology & innovation driven campaigners to amplify the voices of marginalized grassroots communities in promoting accountability as regards the utilization of public funds focusing on specific communities across Africa. His Follow The Money initiative won the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Mobilizer 2019 Award and the Council of Europe’s 2019 Democracy Innovation Award. Lawal was also recognised as one of the world’s 100 most influential people in digital government by Apolitical in 2018 and 2019. He has also been ranked as one of the 100 most influential Africans along with Amina J. Mohammed, Aliko Dangote and Chimamanda Adichie.

By Taiba Habeeb

I remember being asked during my interview for the position of an Executive Assistant to the  Chief Executive Officer of Connected Development;  “Can you be an assistant to a sedulous, diligent and functional boss?’ Being the self assured person I am, I thought to myself  ‘how difficult can it be?’ So I answered YES! With my full chest. Boy, did I know what was in front of me.

My first days at CODE were anxiety and insha allah. As a reserved person, being around mostly boisterous, energetic and passionate young people was overwhelming. At some point, I felt like a misfit, greatly judged for my reserved nature, which caused more anxiety and detachment on my part.

 I remember saying to myself “ these guys missed out on a key requirement of being a part of the organisation during my interview; outgoing”. I’m not going to lie, I struggled trying to be up to par. It was not that I was incapable, but that I lacked information. 

My past experiences helped with my surface knowledge of the NGO sector, but this one was different. At CODE, I began to consciously understanding my colleagues as people who could help me relate easier with them, understanding my boss as a person, and his role as the Chief Executive, the organization’s mission; integrating all three to better understand my role. Doing this created a pattern in my mind that eased my anxiety and detachment.

I’ve been 4 months but I can tell CODE is an organization that believes highly in the resourcefulness of people. Investing in its people is one of her core values and it is truly admirable. Our work, though challenging, allows individuals to freely express themselves; no idea is too silly to be brought to the table. This is an encouraging work culture because staff feel acknowledged and valued.

Do I still feel overwhelmed? Yes, sometimes. Do I understand the system better? Yes, faster than I envisaged. Am I less reserved? Not exactly. Introversion is my inherent nature, it is not a disability and as a regard does not limit my ability to work with the team, except I work a little more quietly. LOL!

CODE is a youth-led Organisation with vibrant a team, irrespective backgrounds, experiences and personalities, who are willing and committed to contributing their own part to achieving the mission of the organisation.

Overall, my experience is one with no destination. Be it four months or two years, my CODEd experience is one that will definitely serve a continual purpose. My boss once told me to “always explore the best of everything life offers you.” That is exactly what I’m doing; EXPLORING!

By Steffia Imoesi

Growing up, I always believed that a lady should live in the shadows and not be seen so as to avoid attracting the wrong crowd. We were taught to settle, be shy, contended, and not speak to elders. This notion was born out of the fact that society made us believe that a woman’s place is at home and they are unfit to handle senior executive roles in an organization. The man’s duty is to work and care for the family. A man is allowed to dream big but when a woman does, she is seen as too ambitious and inconsiderate of her family and domestic obligations.

I have come to understand that some of the challenges of female leaders include limitations caused by societal norms that impede women from attaining leadership roles or competing in a ‘man’s world. As the world evolved, these notions became meaningless. I started to read and watch women break the glass ceiling and take on more important roles, making a great show of exemplary leadership qualities. Women have become  Presidents of Nations, lead global corporations and have done exceedingly well.

Recently, I picked an interest in Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, a renowned Nigerian Economist with a wealth of knowledge in international development and global economy. She sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Twitter, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and the African Risk Capacity (ARC).

Previously, Dr Okonjo-Iweala spent a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, scaling the ranks to the Number 2 position of Managing Director, Operations (2007–2011). She also served two terms as Finance Minister of Nigeria (2003–2006, 2011–2015) under the leadership of President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan respectively.

Okonjo was the first woman to become Finance Minister of Nigeria, and first woman to become Finance Minister of Nigeria twice. In 2005, Euromoney named her global finance minister of the year.

Rising to the second position of the world bank, as Managing Director, she had oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia. She spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008 – 2009, food crises, and later during the financial crisis. In 2010, she was Chair of the IDA replenishment, the World Bank’s successful drive to raise $49.3 billion in grants and low interest credit for the poorest countries in the world. She recently clinched the position of the Director-General of the World Trade Organization based on her merit and creditable portfolio over the years

Dr Okonjo-Iweala has shown us that with tenacity, a high degree of professionalism, integrity and influence, women can achieve anything. All these are the qualities I admire in this Icon. She has also taught me that life is limitless, we can dream big as women and be all that we want to be. Infact, Okonjo-Iweala has proved that having it all is a function of personal determination.

Many cases of SGBV are carried out in a household where children are supposed to feel safe and secure, however, home for many children is far from safe.

Charles Uche Esq

Few of the notable deficiencies of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015 are its inability to criminalise spousal rape and provide adequate protection to persons living with disabilities – even though this was (sparsely) addressed by the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018. Sadly, both laws are inoperable at the subnational level without first being enacted by the Houses of Assembly of various states.

On the 2nd and 3rd of February, 2021, I was in Kano state to implement a project sponsored by the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria. Our team was to train 30 young women and men gender-activists on advocacy tools towards ending gender-based violence through the enactment and/or adoption of the provisions of a Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law in Kano  state.

A story was told of two young girls below the age of 14 who were abused by an affluent man in their neighbourhood. The man is attempting to bribe the father of these 2 underage girls with N500,000 so that the court case can be terminated. Another story was told of a woman who was prematurely forced into labor and childbirth due to spousal battery. A lady told her story of how she had to quit her dream job because of sexual harassment from her boss at the workplace. Another story was told of an underage girl who was gang-raped by known men and who used stigma to pressure her into silence. There are countless stories of forced child labour and prostitution and child marriages.

You see, these are what one may describe as a “tip of the iceberg”; just some troubling stories of the ordeals and violence women and girls go through in Kano state and across Nigeria as a result of inter alia inadequate or lack of effective policy and institutional frameworks that carter for  the actualisation of women’s right. In seeking for justice, I discovered that many women or people have preferred to lay their complaints to the Islamic Police: Hisbah Corp which has no legal power to prosecute rape cases and where matters are often settled through mere mediation rather than the Nigeria Police Force which has the broad statutory powers to prosecute virtually all forms of criminal cases, subject to to powers of the Attorney General.

This 2-day workshop I learnt about young female activists; brave and resilient women; some victims with horrific stories of sexual and gender-based violence – and many of whom have been denied justice deliberately and otherwise.

The institutional performance of State agencies that are responsible for ending gender-based violence and protecting women’s rights was rated poor. “The Police have no shelters for victims and would not want to be burdened with such cases. There have also been reports of police officers taking advantage of survivors and women in disadvantaged situations,” a participant at the training noted. Another woman emphasized that police officers often blame the victims or pressure them to go and settle their “domestic affair”. These and many more engenders the distrust and widens the divide between women, victims and the Nigeria Police Force and their ability to access justice. This distrust is being capitalised on by the Hisbah, with its prosecutorial controversies and limited role in criminal justice on the broader scale.

In Kano state, there is only one sexual assault referral centre (SARC) which “ideally” is supposed to function as shelter, forensic evidence extraction point (to be used in trial) and carter for the general rehabilitation needs of victims of sexual violence. This centre is grossly understaffed, under-equipped and underfunded. Kano is the 20th largest state by land mass; perhaps, the second most populous state after Lagos state and has 44 local government areas and hundreds of villages in remote areas – how can women and victims living in marginalised, grassroots communities access the services of the SARC when the facility can barely carter for the victims within its immediate sphere of operation.

Just like the Anti-Domestic Violence Law of Lagos State of 2007, the VAPP Act also provides for the protection of survivors of domestic violence; provides them with opportunity to acquire skills in any vocation and access micro credit facilities. The VAPP Act ultimately seeks to prohibits many forms of violence on persons in private and public life and its domestication in Kano state has been a subject of immense controversy – and have inadvertently faced setbacks in its legislative enactment – as some quarters have linked the law to the realisation of LGBTQ rights in the state or have simply cited cultural or religious reasons as to the hitch – meanwhile, women continue to be susceptible to all forms of abuse and violence within the state with little or no recourse.

The socio-legal debate that have been generated due to the VAPP Law and its adaptation to local context has led relevant government and private stakeholders to reach a middle ground which is allegedly the extraction of notable “contextually-agreeable” provisions of the VAPP Act and infusion into the Penal Code; a harmonisation exercise that has subjected the Penal Code to an amendment process and which would hopefully lead to the manifestation a more inclusive Penal Code Law that broadens the protection and realisation of women’s right in the state. May I state here that I’m sceptical about the outcome of this process – “when” it eventually arrives.

Furthermore, on December 4th, 2018, the Kano state Governor signed the “Law for Persons with Disability”. However, unlike the federal version, the state law didn’t provide for a Commission that would inter alia represent and further the causes of persons living with disabilities (PLWD); did not provide for sanctions in cases where the rights of PLWD are infringed upon; did not provide a transitional period where all public buildings must provide PLWD-friendly entry and access points; did not provide affirmative action in public employment for PLWD, and so forth. All these policy gaps and many more exist for a group often neglected by society,  who are more vulnerable to all forms of violence and abuse, and whose access to justice is much more cumbersome. In fact, the law can simply be deemed a theoretical declaration of rights, perhaps, to hastily fulfill promises or quell international or local pressures. The law and its current amendment process is piloted by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government. While this may be okay at the interim, for sustainability and inclusivity sake, this cause and interests should be coordinated by a ministry of government in charge of social development or special duties.

In conclusion, this article has attempted to analyse and portray policy gaps that exist and suggested ideas towards the protection of vulnerable groups and their rights thereof in Kano state, proffering solutions below. While I support the enactment and domestication of laws to suit local contexts in line with our federal system of governance, these legal and legislative adaptations must not be in aberration of fairness, equity and comprehensive multi-stakeholder engagement, foremost of which are Women groups, Community based groups, Civil Society Organisations and PLWD groups.

Here are some policy recommendations which may be considered and adopted towards ending all forms of violence against women, girls and PLWD in Kano state and across Nigeria:

1. The state government should enact and implement the VAPP Law and/or adopt a utilitarian approach towards the harmonisation of the VAPP Act and Penal Code suitable for the local context, reached through broad, multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral consultations.
2. The government should enact and implement the Child Rights Law and/or the Child Protection bill.
3. There should be a precise Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence within a definite time frame in form of a policy document, highlighting the role of various stakeholders, amongst other things.
4. There must be gender responsive budgeting in appropriation laws, especially through the budget of the Ministry of Health and/or Women Affairs.
5. There must be establishment and sustainable funding, equipping and professional staffing of more Sexual Assault Referral Centres across the state through annual budgets of the Ministry of Health
6. Implementation of a robust database of sexual perpetrators.
7. Increased sensitization on mainstreaming gender sensitivity and equality in public and private life embarked especially by public institutions as a matter of policy.
8. There should be enhanced special desks at police stations manned by trained, empathetic professionals; and establishment of special courts for sexual related offences to protect identities and ensure speedy, justiciable trials.
9. There must be an amendment of the Persons with Disabilities Law of Kano state to provide comprehensive protection of PLWD by addressing the issues and policy gaps raised in this article. 

Note: This article is not an attack on the institutions of Kano state and should be read with objectivity and with the analytical and solution-driven lens of the writer towards ending violence on women and girls in Kano state and across the country.

By Kevwe Oghide

The Dawn of a New Day

On the 23^rd of September 2020, the women of Obodo-Ugwa, Delta State, took their seats comfortably for the first time at the Community Development Committee (CDC) meeting where issues of rural governance and development were deliberated.

Up until that day, men dominated these meetings and made social & economic decisions on behalf of women. The culture and tradition forbade women from joining meetings that men presided over. If women had concerns, they were expected to tell their husbands or male representatives in the household. Discussing these concerns at community development meetings now comes at the discretion of the male representatives, otherwise women’s opinions and challenges never saw the light of day.

Profiling Obodo-Ugwa

Obodo Ugwa Ogume is a small village with a population of about 4000 people in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State that produces oil, making it an attraction to Oil and Gas companies. Since it is an oil exploration site, it goes without saying that it’s also a location where gas is flared—a menace that has heightened environmental degradation, caused ill health, poisoned water, polluted farm crops and worse, adversely impacted the fragile phenomenon of the village.

Not only is the livelihood of villagers thwarted but despite being a huge contributor to the Nigerian Economy and an enricher of the pockets of Oil & Gas executives, Obodo- Ugwa has also been denied structural development.

The people of Obodo-Ugwa can be classified as marginalised, vulnerable people whose voices have been ignored and their human rights violated.

Conflict & Fragility Issues: How OXFAM and CODE are changing the status quo

OXFAM Nigeria and Connected Development, two not-for-profit Organisations, kicked-off a Conflict and Fragility Project in the Oil region of Delta State to advocate for the responsiveness of Oil companies to host communities. The campaign addressed the risks associated with the lack of adherence to business principles of operations by actors in the Oil & Gas value chain while engaging with host communities in the Niger-Delta. This often results in conflict and fragility issues. 

The campaign envisioned an improved adherence to business principles as contained in the United Nations Guiding Principles [UNGP]. This adherence seeks to improve human rights practices and corporate social responsibility of operators in the oil and gas sector towards their host communities. It urges commodity traders to operate in an accountable, transparent and human-rights-sensitive manner. This can significantly ensure that a mutually beneficial relationship between oil firms and host communities exists.

One of the outcomes of the campaign was to stimulate gender inclusion in local extractive governance to spur an inclusive and effective community development. CODE & OXFAM, known for their advancement of the causes of women’s rights, accelerated action to advocate for gender inclusion in Obodo-Ugwa.

Women Participation and Community Development

Things are starting to look up for Obodo-Ugwa. OXFAM and CODE, on different occasions, organised town hall meetings and advocacy calls where key stakeholders from the Oil & Gas sector such as regulators and oil explorers and community chiefs and leaders deliberated on a way forward.

Recognising the importance of promoting inclusiveness, CODE and OXFAM further intensified efforts to advocate gender inclusion and gender-responsive public services in the community so that women can have a place in local governance structures. Gender inclusion and women participation in communities should be beyond primitive gender role of caring for just the home and family. Women should be empowered to actively participate in politics, economy, social and cultural aspects of life. For women to be able to fully exercise their human rights, gender perspectives have to be mainstreamed in all inclusive social policies.

2 weeks before the inauguration of a new community development committee, CODE’s Programs Associate, Onyekachi Onuoha received a call from the Chairman of the CDC, inviting CODE to witness the result of its advocacy. Community elders now seek to include women in CDC meetings and have women take up executive roles.

Here we are at Obodo-Ugwa witnessing a first-of-its-kind where there is a female vice president of the CDC and a female Finance head. The recognition of women’s participation will have far-reaching impacts in building the community into an inclusive society.

Although traditional norms and value systems in rural areas especially are still limiting the participation of women in community development, CODE, during its advocacy activities in grassroots communities often mainstreams gender-responsiveness and gender equality in its interactions and engagements to ensure communities are informed of the importance of including women in decision-making processes.

Testimonies

“Women do not sit with men at village meetings except when they are summoned. This is a dream come true! Seeing my fellow women as not just members but executives on the Community Development Committee gives me joy! Ehn ehn, now we can say what our needs are without discussing first with our husbands. The village market that they are building was because women complained of long-distance travel to buy food items. I am glad this happened in my time.,” Obodo Ugwa resident, Veronica Obi, beamed.

“This is the first time in the history of the Obodo Ugwa CDC that women will be allowed to participate- not only that- quantum progress has been recorded because 3 women were also added to the CDC executive board- a vice president, a women leader and the CDC Secretary.” – CDC Chairman, Anslem Oyibo.

“Women have now been given management roles. They will oversee the market building and the school completion. They get to make decisions on behalf of the village. This has never happened. I am glad to witness it.” — Community Chief, Chief Friday Okoro.

“We are happy about this development. Look around, women and men were equally represented in this committee. We now have to prove our responsibility. I have plans to request the provision of loan and grants to support women’s initiative. I hope to see that happen. There is so much we can do and conquer.” CDC Vice chairman, Patricia Oluomo stated.

UN Women: Broader Peace-building Initiative Campaign

The current COVID-19 health emergency is worsening gender inequalities. There is no gainsaying that COVID19 will likely have longer-term gender impacts, pointing to the need to urgently prioritise the best possible response for children, women and the most marginalised. 

The pandemic has deepened pre-existing inequalities, exposing vulnerabilities in social, political, and economic systems. Government’s response to the crisis has failed to adequately integrate gender responsiveness. This can be attributed to low participation of women in the decision-making structures on COVID-19. Women’s voices and needs are inadequately reflected in formal response structures, despite their varying contributions, and not many interventions are working to increase women’s meaningful participation.

Typically, women in Nigeria are grossly underrepresented in decision-making structures, with 4% representation in national parliament, 4.43% in state legislatures and 16.2% of ministerial appointments. Women’s unequal representation puts their specific needs at risk of being overlooked in the development and monitoring of COVID-19 actions, policies, plans and budgets, including for economic recovery and future health resilience. Women’s leadership and participation in decision making in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial because the impact affects them disproportionately. To amplify women’s leadership and ensure their active participation, there is a need to build cohesion and create visibility around women-led efforts.

Hence, Connected Development (CODE) in collaboration  with UN Women are  implementing  the project on ‘Strengthening State Capacities and Women’s Participation in COVID Response and Broader Peacebuilding Initiatives’. The project seeks to advance women’s meaningful participation in the COVID-19 response and beyond in Kaduna state.

CODE will strengthen women’s capacity and equip them with the necessary tools, skills and expertise to directly participate in COVID19 Response and Broader Peacebuilding Initiatives in Kaduna State. 

Through CODE’s result-oriented advocacy strategy, capacity strengthening strategy, communications expertise and technology resources, we will strengthen women’s capacity and equip them with the necessary tools, skills and expertise to directly participate in COVID19 Response and Broader Peacebuilding Initiatives in Kaduna State.

This project is designed to objectively;

• Strengthen the capacity of women, girls and existing women led advocacy organizations to participate in the development and monitoring of COVID 19 actions, policies, plans and budget including government strategic plan for economic recovery and future health resilience

• To Advocate and amplify women’s leadership and active participation in the decision-making response through effective coalition building and collaboration between women organizations and women in political leadership position