Zainab Maina
Former Minister of Women Affairs and President National Council of Women Society (NCWS), Hajiya Zainab Maina has lamented over the plight of women in Nigeria and call for an end to the bias.
In her press release to mark this year’s International Women’s Day on Tuesday, Maina in her statement titled “Please Break the Bias” lauded women in Nigeria for thier resilience.
“On the occasion of the 2022 International Women’s Day, I send warm felicitations to all women in Nigeria for being among the most hardworking, resourceful and resilient gender in the country.
” As mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters you carry a lot of burden but keep faith with your role as the stronger gender. This year’s theme is ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.’ Unfortunately, in Nigeria today the female gender is the marginalized and excluded in politics and governance. Where then is the gender equality?
“Without gender equality there can be no sustainable tomorrow. As the stronger gender we perform far higher natural roles that men can never perform. Yet, in politics and governance we are excluded. Why? This apparent marginalization of over half the Nigerian population most end. Therefore, today I cross my two hands across my heart to join other women all over the country to say “Please Break the Bias”’, Maina added.
She noted that its time Nigerian women tell thier male counterparts that they cannot continue clapping with one hand and deceiving themselves that they are making a sound, adding that nation building is a task that require the contributions of all citizens regardless of gender.
The former minister noted that to perpetually shut out a significant population of a country from political participation and governance processes is to deny the country full potentials for a sustainable tomorrow.
“Women suffer deprivations in many spheres of our national life, yet when we ask for equity, we are pushed back by an entrenched patriarchy. We are not asking for equality because we want to take over the roles of our men, we are asking for gender equality because that is the only guarantee of a sustainable tomorrow.
“Unfortunately, patriarchy has pinned us down as junior partners in a nation where equity demands equal participation in all spheres of life. The recent position taken by members of the National Assembly in the constitutional amendment process has sent a bold signal to Nigerian women to wake up and organize.
“We have a duty to rise and challenge the status qua. Since politics is a game of numbers, we must come together and use our superior numbers to demand for a fairer deal. The minimum we should demand for in the 2023 election circle is the Vice President of the Federal republic of Nigeria and half the candidates in all elective positions. For us that is the only guarantee for a sustainable tomorrow. With our numbers we can do it,” Maina stressed.
She reiterated her call on Nigerian women to raise up to the challenge of ending the bias and enthroning equity in politics and governance, and challenged Nigerian men to see reason in ensuring equity and inclusion in national life as task for everyone.
