VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: NIGERIAN WOMAN ON MY MIND
Friday
November 25, the global community commemorated the International Day for
Elimination of Violence against Women. From November 25 – the International Day
for the Elimination of Violence against Women to December 10 – the Human Rights
Day, the sixteen (16) days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign
is a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around
the world.
Undoubtedly, no society in existence can be
said to be complete if a woman is yet to be found in it, regardless of its
nature or size. We can testify to this fact by considering how a woman came
into the world. Of course it is no longer news that having created man, God the
creator thought it wise to form a woman from the rib of a man; this was so
because God realized of what benefit a woman would be to a man in any
society/arena he finds himself.
A family for instance – a
nuclear family precisely, which remains the smallest society on earth, can
never strive successfully or attain to its anticipated height if a woman is
missing. Realistically, a family cannot be formed in the first place if a woman
is nowhere to be found. Having formed a family with the help of a woman, if she
eventually dies, the affected family will live to suffer
the vacuum her eternal demise has
created. This implies that, psychologically, no widower can boast of being a
happy man, especially a situation where the late wife left some kids behind.
Sometimes even when the widower
has gotten married to another woman, provided the late wife left some indelible
footprints behind such as the kids or that she was made up of some
irreplaceable features, he shall remain in an unending emotional trauma,
perhaps for eternity. In such situation, it is only the Creator that can
provide a lasting succour.
Ab initio, the womenfolk has been considered to constitute the integral
part of the wider society. It is obvious that a social union cannot achieve an
effective goal if the female members aren’t carried along. It might sound a bit
controversial but the truth remains that nature had ordained woman to be the
most attractive being in any society she belongs. This is the reason whenever a
social group of people intends to pay a courtesy visit to a certain office
holder, if they fail to include at least a woman among the delegate, the said
outing might end up being fruitless. Why? Simply because the presence of a
woman has a natural tendency of arresting the heart of any man irrespective who
he is.
The political terrain is not
left out. Any man occupying a political position would boldly testify that his
beloved wife is the reason he is thriving assiduously and successfully. This
implies that a woman is in charge of any leadership position, though her impact
might seem invisible. The advisory role, both morally and otherwise, a woman
plays in the life of her spouse who occupies a political post supersedes
whatever counsel he receives from his appointees, friends, or well-wishers.
Considering the church, which is
an institution as well as one of the oldest societies across the globe, there’s
no need reiterating that its sustainability from the outset has been possible
owing to the effort of the womenfolk. A woman has been proven to be more pious
than a man; this is why she remains the engine room towards the uplift of the
children’s spiritual lives. And we are all aware that someone or a family whose
spiritual life is porous is apparently living like a tree without root. Noting
that women are closer to the church, the easiest way to conscientize a married
man, or any man whatsoever, toward the uplift of a church is through the woman
in his life, since it is obvious that a woman has the key to a man’s heart.
Frankly, the role of a woman
both in her immediate and wider society cannot be overemphasized. From the
aforementioned facts, it can be pinpointed that without a woman, the children
cannot be properly raised, be it morally, academically, religiously, and what
have you; a man’s social, political and emotional life shall remain
incapacitated and in shambles; above all, the affected society would remain
seemingly stagnant and retrogressive in its day-to-day activity.
As Nigeria joins the rest of the
world to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence
against Women, it is our civic responsibility to ensure that women or girls
whom are ubiquitously vulnerable owing to their nature are duly respected and
safeguarded at all cost, with a view to strengthening our respective societies
and the nation at large. We can contribute our individual quotas by
acknowledging that women are the backbone of any society in existence.
It is estimated that about
thirty-five per cent (35%) of women worldwide have experienced either physical
and/or sexual violence by a non-partner at some points in their lives. On the
other hand, some studies show that up to seventy per cent (70%) of women have
experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner. Either
domestic or non-domestic, such form of violence has lingered in various
countries, particularly Nigeria, thus making people insinuate that it is an
acceptable tradition.
Violence against women is a
human rights violation. It’s a consequence of discrimination against women both
in law and in practice, and of persisting inequalities between men and women. Violence
against women/girls arguably impedes progress in many areas of human endeavour
including poverty eradication, curbing contagious diseases such as HIV/AIDS,
strengthening peace and security, thereby crippling nation building. The
monster, which continued to be a global pandemic, is not inevitable; prevention
is possible, and essential too. Everyone has a responsibility to prevent and
end violence against women and girl children, starting by challenging the culture
of discrimination that allows it to exist.
Legislation also has a vital
role to play. There ought to be a stiff law to ensure that anyone at all levels
found guilty of any violence against women/girls to include rape, battering,
female genital mutilation, subjection into prostitution, or what have you, is duly
brought to book. Violence like rape deserves life imprisonment, or even capital
punishment, because such ruthless act can lead to murder.
Parents and guardians on their part ought to equally cough up reasonable
time for their wards, particularly the female folks, to enable them know their
left from right when they grow up. The various schools should as well revive
their guidance and counselling section towards providing the needed guideline
and caution for both the male and female students. The religious bodies are not
left out in this crusade; they are expected to devote much time in letting the
worshippers realize the dangers inherent in the menace.
Women and society are interwoven; if you remove either of them, the
other one would be ostensibly meaningless. Needless to say that the former is
as crucial as the latter, thus must be treated as such at all times. Think
about it!
FDN Nwaozor
Follow: @mediambassador
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