In commemoration with the annual International Women’s Day, “Talk Your Own” of the BBC Media Action organized a symposium, gathering women of different ages and classes to rub minds on the issue of Gender Parity.
The discussion was triggered by a research from the World Economic Forum in 2014, which predicts that gender equality can only be a reality in the year 2095 but then further stated in 2015 that the pace of closing the gap of gender inequality is slower than they had predicted. The new research provides that gender equality will be realized in year 20133.
Senator Binta Garba made a clear notion of the fact that gender parity does not in any way mean setting the woman above the man but atleast standing side by said with the man to achieve a common goal. She further stated the importance of girl child education and said she pledged as a child to be an ambassador that will advocate for girls that are being deprived of formal education.
Hon. Ngunan Adingi also shared her experience as a woman politician who was robbed off her ticket as her party flag bearer and was almost denied the chance to contest the seat for her constituency; until she took the fight to court and eventually won. By that she encouraged other women not to run without a fight for what is rightfully theirs.
Another woman politician, Dr. Bilkisu Magoro, founder of Bilmor Foundation, on the state of gender parity said regardless of efforts made in Nigeria to close the gender inequality gap, equity needs to be put in place in various sectors to enable the woman to be fully involved in the society. She also adds that with the recent elections outcome with less women in political platforms, more opportunities should be made available for more representation of women in Nigerian politics.
More women shared their plights and experiences of inequality as engineers, road side sellers, cab drivers, musicians, etc. Of more concern is the fact that most girls are not encouraged to be ambitious with education because the norm expects them to marry and settle as housewives, rather than pursue their careers.
