MenEngage Nigeria, advocates SRHR, end to GBV, FGM, others

A leading gender equality, positive masculinity, and women’s rights not-for-profit organisation, MenEngage Nigeria, has advocated for improved rights of women and girls, as the nation marches towards the 2023 general elections.

Rising from its two-day Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja, MenEngage Nigeria which is part of the global MenEngage Alliance, while commending efforts so far made to bridge the existing gap in opportunities between men and women, noted that there is still much work to be done by every stakeholder in Nigeria.

The group in a communiqué released at the end of the two-day intensive meeting which had participants from critical stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, NOI Polls, Amnesty International, BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, Tabitha Empowerment Centre, the NSCDC, among others, indicated that the road ahead is still daunting.

MenEngage Nigeria identified that, “Whereas concerted efforts have been made over the years to reduce cases of Gender Based Violence, gender inequality in Africa and indeed in Nigeria, remains high.

“The 2021 Mckinsey Global Institute report on gender parity in the continent clearly point out this high rate of gender inequality; Mckinsey warns that if Africa does nothing about this disparity, the continent stands to lose 316 billion dollars by 2025, on the other hand, if drastic action is taken to curb the trend, 316 billion dollars would be added to the GDP of African nations.”

It further highlighted that, “As the country approaches another election year, the AGM emphasised the need for political parties to deliberately encourage more women participation in elective offices by removing bottlenecks like overt monetisation of electioneering processes and anti-women arrangements like odd hours for meetings, entrenched dogmas that automatically alienate women from contesting certain offices.”

While appreciating improvements made by certain states in the federation in promoting rights of women and girls, the communique identified, “Understanding that women’s rights are human rights is critical to removing the seeming bottlenecks to achieving equitable society in Nigeria. Ironically, women have demonstrated severally that they want to walk side by side with men to establish equality.”

It was agreed that to achieve speedy result in closing the gap between men and women, “religious and traditional institutions and their leaders who serve as gatekeepers must be involved in any reform programmes by either the state, CSOs, NGOs, etc.”

According to experts at the two-day meeting, “it would be equally difficult to move the needle without involving boys and men in programmes aimed at eradicating Gender Based Violence (GBV) – they have for so long been seen only as perpetrators, it is time to pay attention to why they behave in a certain way and the role of women and girls in this vice.

“In the face of new wave of gender-based violence in schools, speakers are of the opinion that family values need to be strengthened since children tend to copy what they see.”

The Chairperson of MenEngage Nigeria, Dr. Chimamaka Joy Asogwa, commended participants at the event; while encouraging that positive masculinity is at the centre of advancing a more equitable society, she pointed out:

“A deliberate, planned and sustained effort must be made in cases where issues of GBV are to be canvased that, men lead the discussion as a way of levelling the playing field and help other men see themselves from the mirror of life.”

The Executive Director of MenEngage Nigeria, Dr. Chris Ugwu, described the quality of deliberations at the event as quite enriching saying, “this could not have come at a better time than this. We are a few months away from the country’s general elections in 2023; it is important that those seeking elective offices should be well aware of the enormous task that is before them.

“Politicians must display the will power to tackle traditional vices which hampers women and girls from attaining their God-given heights, otherwise Nigeria will continue to experience under-development when compared with advanced societies.”

Participants were consoled in the knowledge that throughout the history of Nigeria, the country have had men who stood against discrimination against women and girls, this rich heritage is worth building up.

The two-Day Annual General Meeting had as its theme: Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria: Human Rights Approach – Engaging Men and Boys.

MenEngage Nigeria works collectively and individually towards advancing gender justice, human rights, and social justice to achieve a world where everyone can enjoy healthy, fulfilling and equitable relationships and attain their full potential.

MenEngage Nigeria is a member of MenEngage Africa with its coordinating office in Sonke Gender Justice in South Africa which supervises the affairs of the over 22 country members through a Steering Committee to bring the overall vision of the global MenEngage Global Alliance to African nations. Nigeria became a member of the Alliance nearly four years ago and the country network through its members has become one of the shining lights of the Alliance in the continent.

The Nigerian network seeks to provide a collective voice on the need to engage men and boys in gender equality, to build and improve the field of practice around engaging men in achieving gender justice and advocating before policy makers at different levels. The aim is to promote partnership in work engaging men and boys for gender equality, preventing HIV, Promote Human Rights, reducing violence at all levels, questioning structural barriers that tend to promote gender inequality.