Last week, the Nigerian senate voted against a Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (GEO bill) proposed by senator Biodun Olujimi. While the Nigerian state protects citizens through its constitution, the GEO bill is a complementary protocol for equal rights for women in marriage, divorce, widowhood, property & land ownership and inheritance to name a few things.
As several analysts have pointed out, there are many problems with the senate outcome. But I’d like to add one observation. Namely that perhaps the most troubling thing is this: the senate rejecting the GEO bill is the senate also rejecting modernity. As the Canadian president, Justin Trudeau, responded when asked why having a gender balanced cabinet was important, “Because it’s 2015!”
It is utterly incompatible to modernity, in 2016, to fail to legislate against practices that are clearly barbaric. For example, widows around the country are still being forced to drink water in which the body of their dead husband has been bathed in to allege innocence. That only between 4-10% of land is owned by women because women are not entitled to inherit land, is unequivocally nonmodern.
Part of the problem is that the GEO bill is attached to the Maputo Protocol, a feminist human rights protocol which Nigeria has actually ratified in 2005. However, the Maputo Protocol has not been instrumentalised not least because the Catholic Church opposes the reproductive rights section of the bill. There’s even a site called “The Maputo Protocol – A Clear and Present Danger” that was created by Human Life International, a Catholic apostolate.
Nay voters of the GEO bill justified their vote not only with religion but also with traditional values. I have argued that tradition is the key challenge for African feminism in the 21st century. The resistance to change traditions that harm girls and women is tough like a piece of leather.
There is one good thing about the decline of the bill, however. It brings the severity of the situation to the fore. It can therefore encourage a strategic feminist movement in Nigeria. It has already sparked conversation and protests are planned in the forthcoming days.
The first step to freedom is the realisation that you are not free. Freedom means more than deciding what is right or wrong. When we talk about freedom, we are discussing how we want to live, and what type of virtues we deem worthy in our modern world.
Image is A real-life “Rosie the Riveter” by Alfred T. Palmer.
Time is the best leveler, the best equalizer. I’m presuming most of the Nigerian Senators are in their 60s & 70s and it’s very hard to get that generation of Africans to accept gender equality. In due time, a Senate filled with more modern mindsets will pass a Gender & Equal Opportunities Bill.
I found the GEO Bill quite interesting and very informative. Aspects regarding indigeneship and identity seem to proffer solutions to pertinent questions raised in the run up to the ministerial screening last year. It’s a pity that the present crop of legislators are still frozen in ancient times to realize the opportunities lost by throwing out the bill. No doubt culture and tradition play a vital role in the development of any society. However, times have changed and the role of the woman is beyond the confines of the home in modern societies.The older generation need to understand that because things were so in the past, doesn’t mean they have to continue that way. Looking forward, it may be a good idea to break up the bill into smaller bits to enable its passage.
”The first step to freedom is the realisation that you are not free.” So profound…
The Significance Of On-line Sbobet Brokers For Football Gambling Gamers
A number of land brokers are offering actual money gambling bets, however since the existence of online soccer
gambling video games it’s now very straightforward to do soccer betting.
Online gambling makes it simple for playing players to
wager safely and comfortably. Online Sbobet agent is
probably the most acceptable selection for you, as a result of the bettor
immediately place a guess immediately with the most
important betting firm in Asia, even on the planet.
At the moment, the official Sbobet agent is here to change the minds of
the players that the net system could be performed effectively
and virtually.
The Sbobet playing firm started in 2004, Sbobet is underneath
the PAGCOR license from the Philippine government which operates
in Asia and likewise operates in Europe with the Isle of Man license.
As a result of the Sbobet firm is a global site so it isn’t simple
enough to provide companies to customers who’re in Indonesia, Sbobet cooperates with Depobola agents as
its agents to facilitate the gamers in processing account creation and transactions.
The next data will summarize how important the presence of Sbobet on-line agents, including the following:
– As a provider of real cash on-line playing betting
Before on-line gambling, each player must go to an airport bookshop.
But because the existence of a web based soccer agent, standard gamers have
switched to on-line betting methods. So the bettor can already place bets easily via Sbobet brokers.
– Gives transaction security and comfort
In Indonesia you cannot gamble, because there are legal guidelines which prohibit
playing. But the story is totally different when you play football betting by way of Depobola agents.
Depobola will maintain the privateness of members, all knowledge that you register at Depobola
will not be misused or leaked. And Depobola also provides transactions
transparently, where transactions you make might be recorded into
the system.
Giving the most effective Betting Market
For all players it’s best to know that the Sbobet betting market
in the big match is the most effective compared to
different playing corporations. Additionally before the match will be given a schedule and also statistics of each match that has been accomplished.
– Makes it easier for Gamers to Win Plenty of Prizes
Official football agents resembling Depobola will make it simpler for
gamers to win tons of prizes which amount to tons of of thousands and thousands of rupiah.
Even gamers who’re already very dependable, can benefit from jackpot
bonuses as much as billions provided by Sbobet organizers.
Although the guess cash they put up shouldn’t be too large, however because of the support of
the agent they can get the possibility to win the biggest jackpot prize.
– Offers a large choice of gambling games
As a member you possibly can choose freely what gambling games are available.
Many kinds of soccer betting options you can play but have many types resembling: Asian handicap, over /
beneath, 1 x 2, odd / even, correct score, double likelihood, total rating and mix parlay.
These are some facts in regards to the significance of online Sbobet agents
for bettors, it’s essential to select one of the best and most trusted agent, certainly one
of them like Depobola.
Option Links to Official Online Gambling Sites
Now in an all-sophisticated era, everyone can access the internet very easily.
So far many online games which can be played by everyone, one example is internet gambling games.
With the appointment of betting that used to be only on land, now an online system has made it very easy for many betting players to
station their hobbies in the world of internet gambling.