YWCA laments low representation of women in govt, violence against folks

Young women Christians in the country have lamented what they described as decreasing percentage of women in power at all levels of government in Nigeria, saying the situation is unacceptable.

National President of Young Women Christians Association (YWCA) in Nigeria, Lady Chikwue Ochiagha, told The Guardian in Lagos at the 2015 YWCA conference that women representation in government has fallen from 30 per cent. “We were hoping to be heading towards 40 or 50 per cent, and all of a sudden, women representation in government dropped to about eight percent. For us, it is not acceptable.”

Ochiagha attributed this to mindset of women in this part of the world. “Women are found of thinking they are below in creation, so it all has to do with our disposition as women, if only we can rethink and rebrand our opinion, that will be better. Thomas Sankara said women hold half of the sky, we are therefore partners with men.
“Soon, we will be coming out with a powerful statement, we are waiting for appointments to come out, and then we can decide what we will tell Nigerians.”

Also present at the conference with the theme “Transforming for excellence”
was former First Lady of Ekiti State, Mrs. Bisi Adeleye –Fayemi, who said: “The greatest challenge facing women in this part of our world is the attitude of people in our society towards women who are treated as second class citizens. It is believed that there is more value attached to being a male, than being a female.

Nigeria needs to involve more women in decision making at all levels. Women consist of at least 50 per cent of the population and it would make a good sense if they contribute their own quota to the development of our communities.”

Mrs. Fayemi, who gave the keynote address said: “Organizations such as YWCA are very important. YWCA is an old network of women across the world and the Lagos State chapter is particularly active, therefore they should utilize the power of their numbers and the capacity that their members have to ensure that more opportunities are created for women”.

She also noted that the level of violence against women and children in the society has risen, describing the situation as disheartening. “We cannot continue to have a society in which women and girls continue to be violated, if any woman is violated, then all of us are violated, because she is someone’s mother, sister, or daughter, hence, society should not tolerate the level of impunity we see around.
“ When it comes to this happening within the context of religion, we need to be very clear that it is not fair for us to have spaces of worship where families goes to worship God and that is were some of them are violated, because we have so many pastors these days being accused of so many things.”

According to Mrs. Fayemi, women are supposed to be drivers of social change. “Women’s involvement in decision-making contributes to redefining political and economic priorities, placing new issues on the agenda. Women need to build both political and social capitals, among others, and make themselves relevant to be able to influence people. Without affirmative action, we are going to keep begging for places in the society”.

She appealed to government to feature women very prominently in decision making in the country. “We need to see more women in elected positions, and in appointed positions and we also need to see policies and administrative frameworks that can empower women and enable them fulfill their full potential. All discriminatory laws and practices should be displaced.”