30 August 2017
Bride or Child
Child
marriage according to the United Nations is the formal or informal union
between a girl and a boy before the age of 18. In this part of the world, the child
marriage that we find is the girl child related one where we have a girl below
the age of 18 been married off to a much older man. Usually they refer to girls
that are above 16 year as old virgins.
Mrs
Uwais, who is the special adviser to the Nigerian President on special
protection plan, according to NAN, explains that child bride is the worst kind
of child abuse/violence that you can have perpetrated to the girl child.
According to the Child Right Act 2003, a child cannot give
consent to sex and as we all know sex has to be consensual if not it is
referred to as rape. The fact that a girl child looks physically developed
because she has big breast and buttocks doesn’t make her an adult. The Child
Right Act however, is yet to be adopted in most states in Child
marriage according to the United Nations is the formal or informal union
between a girl and a boy before the age of 18. In this part of the world, the
child marriage that we find is the girl child related where we have a girl
below the age of 18 been married of to a much older man. Usually they refer to
girls that are above 16year as old virgins.
Mrs
Uwais, who is the special adviser to the Nigerian President on special
protection plan, according to NAN, explains that child bride is the worst kind
of child abuse/violence that you can have perpetrated to the girl child.
According to the Child Right Act 2003, a child cannot give consent to
sex and as we all know sex has to be consensual if not it is referred to as
rape. The fact that a girl child looks physically developed because she has big
breast and buttocks doesn’t make her an adult. The Child Right Act
however, is yet to be adopted in most states in Nigeria. The only state in the
Northern part of the country that has adopted the child right act is Kano
State. In other for child bride to end in Nigeria, all Northern states need to
adopt this Child Right Act and pass it into law.
In most
cases the perpetrators of this Act say that they do it in other to
prevent the child from rape, underage sex and teenage pregnancies but they
forget that what is actually being done to the girls is the exact things they
are trying to avoid. The point remains that rape within marriage and pregnancy
of a teenager within marriage is still rape and teenage pregnancy respectively.
According
to the United Nations, 15 million girls get married within a year globally
however, Nigeria has about 40% of this child marriage which is dominantly in
the Northern part of the country. When a girl-child is married off as a child
bride, her childhood is stolen from her. A bride age 13 - 16 is not physically,
psychologically and emotionally ready for the responsibilities of marriage and
child bearing which usually exposes them to health risk such as VVF and death
during child birth. In most cases these girls have to stop their education as a
result of this and as we know, Education is a very important tool in the life
of a girl. If she isn’t educated, then what happens to the child she brings
forth? The circle will continue and poverty will eat deep into the society.
The point here is that a girl child shouldn’t be given out in marriage
as she cannot consent to sex related issues until she is 18 when she is
mentally ready for such responsibilities
.26 August 2017
Women's Equality Day
The
26th day of August is a day set aside for the celebration of Women's
Equality Day in the United States. It is a day that women everywhere in
the United States of America was granted the Right to Vote and Be Voted for.
The right for the American woman to vote and be voted for was gotten
when the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adapted
into Law and this happened on the 26th August 1920 and the then United
States President declared this day to be celebrated as the Women's Equality Day.
In
Nigeria, women did not attain the right to vote and be voted for until
the 1958. However, women from the Southern region got enfranchised in
different stages beginning from 1950 while the Northern region women
didn't. The Nigerian women got the right to vote and be voted into
public offices some time in 1959 but the Northern women were not allowed
until the year 1976.
Now,
I believe you have a little insight as to what Women's Equality Day is
all about. So, I would say that the best way to celebrate this day is to
acknowledge and honour the achievements of women by promoting Gender Equality.
In our society today, Gender Inequality is
eminent in subtle ways and we haven't quite achieved cultural
antiquities such as inadequate health care, sexual and domestic
violence. These issues are slowly disappearing but we need to help make
it disappear faster. On a day like this, you can take it upon yourself
to make donations to organisations that provide charitable assistance to
women such as providing food, healthcare, counseling for survivors of
domestic & sexual violence and child abused etc., you can also spend
time with the women in your life e.g your grandmother, mother, sister,
wife, daughter or any woman making impact in the society. Celebrate her
and listen to her experiences and challenges.
In
celebration of Women's Equality Day, here is a little something (click here to watch)for
you. Let me know if you want more videos like this (winks)
Cheers!!!
24 August 2017
MTN PARTNERS WITH GENDER RIGHTS ORGANISATION
The donation was announced at the women's day celebration as hosted by the MTN SA Foundation on the 11th of August 2017 in commemoration of the women's month. According to the MTN Press Release, MTN South Africa donated the sum of R250,000 ($18,935) to the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre. The organisation is a registered non-government that was established in 1996 to promote and define the rights of women to be free from violence. The focus of this non governmental organisation is to increase the awareness of Justice for the rights of girls and women in South Africa.
During the occasion of the celebration of the women's day in Pretoria South Africa, women leaders spoke extensively on how to overcome Gender Based Violence (GBV). The South African Minister of women in the Presidency Susan Shagangu maintained that a lot of determination is needed by the society to deal with women and minor abuse.
The reason for MTN Foundation's donation to Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy is because of the existing partnership that the NGO had since 2015. MTN SA Foundation in partnership with Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy has held various breakfast forums that provided members of the public an avenue to get involved in discussing issued happening in the society and providing solutions. Topics such as Gender Based Violence (GBV) and the role of the private sector on the matter .
The General Manager of MTN Foundation, South Africa, Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi explained that the partnership seeks to leverage on the power of technology and Legal framework to fight Gender Based Violence (GBV). He also emphasized the importance of private sector getting involved in the fight against GBV because the act targets the vulnerable ones within the society.
MTN according to their press release, has been involved in various partnerships with several South African organizations in other to find a lasting solution to Gender Based Violence (GBV).
This project with Tshewaranang identifies and renovates facilities to serve as a safe place for women that are victims or survivals of Gender Based Violence (GBV).
I hope MTN Nigeria will also borrow a leaf from MTN South Africa by working with NGO's and women right activists to fight Inequality and Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria.
21 August 2017
in case of abduction
Following
the arrest of a child abductor who tried to abduct a five year old girl in
Edmonton Alberta Canada, on the 12th August 2017.
Sgt Lael Sauter of the Edmonton precinct decided to give helpful tips that our kids need to know in case they are in a situation of been abducted or kidnapped.
Sgt Lael Sauter of the Edmonton precinct decided to give helpful tips that our kids need to know in case they are in a situation of been abducted or kidnapped.
Here is what happened in Alberta;
A 5 year
old girl was riding her bicycle with her brother who happens to be just a little
older than she is, when a strange man approached her and forcefully led her
away. The brother immediately jumped into action. He ran to the closest house
to alert the people there of what had happened and these people assisted in
tracking down the strange man, save the little girl's life and get the man
arrested and charged with child abduction.
According
to Sgt. Lael Sauter, he stated that parents need to be very informed and equipped to protect
their children from child abductors/kidnapper. He further explains how good and
adequate information will protect these children when faced with challenging
situations alone.
- In case a child gets separated from her parents in public, the Sgt. says parents should teach their children to 'FREEZE' meaning to remain at whatever spot they are and to refuse to be assisted by a stranger either with good intention or not.
- Parents should create a code known only to the child and her parents which can be used to authenticate an adult picking up a child .without the code, the child immediately knows that the person is not who they claim to be and should refuse to follow them.
- Parents should also teach their children to scream and kick while shouting 'this is not my mom' or 'this is not my dad' this will help passerby know that the child is not just creating a scene but in actually been abducted/kidnapped.
19 August 2017
sex education
Sex
Education is a very sensitive topic that deserves to be approached with
caution as its a vital part of health education. I believe the girl child
deserves to be taught sex education as soon as her curiosity begins to manifest.
Parents should be very attentive to
their children most especially during this curiosity stage as this is what
leads to early (teenage) pregnancy.
Children in recent times grow and develop so fast for example we have girls at 10 years old
that have started menstruating, therefore if such a girl has not had THE TALK
with the parents, the situation might end up the wrong way. I will recommend the
introduction of sex education to the girl child to start at home as early as
age 7. This is because at this stage, the girls are already aware of their body
and can differentiate it from the opposite sex.
The type of sex education for the girl child at this stage should be an introduction not the in-depth education that will awake their inquisitiveness. I believe parents need to create a very strong bond with their daughters and also learn all the skills that they need to give their daughter the best sex education she can get because if the girl child isn’t taught well by her parents, she will definitely learn from friends and other resources such as the internet which might be bad for her.
The type of sex education for the girl child at this stage should be an introduction not the in-depth education that will awake their inquisitiveness. I believe parents need to create a very strong bond with their daughters and also learn all the skills that they need to give their daughter the best sex education she can get because if the girl child isn’t taught well by her parents, she will definitely learn from friends and other resources such as the internet which might be bad for her.
The advantage
of encouraging sex education is to promote a healthy relationship between
children of opposite sex, prevent teenage pregnancies and also prevent
sexually transmitted deceases. If the girl child has great understanding regarding her sexuality, she will be very confident in her relationship with
the opposite sex.
Should
sex education be taught in school?
ABSOLUTELY!
But I don’t think it should be taught at elementary level (Primary Schools).
The secondary schools are a better place to introduce the subject. It should however be taught by professionals who are very good in the field so as not to nudge the children in the wrong direction.
The secondary schools are a better place to introduce the subject. It should however be taught by professionals who are very good in the field so as not to nudge the children in the wrong direction.
15 August 2017
Saudi Arabia to lift restrictions on bikinis
According to the USA Today, the Saudi Arabian government is planning a beach resort along the Dead sea and this resort is going to be of international standards that will be govern by laws suitable to international tourists. This is why the Saudi Arabian government will be considering lifting the restriction of women from wearing bikinis at the swimming pools and resort area.
The resort which is a 2030 pet project of the Saudi Arabian government and led by Prince Mohammed bin Salam, is intended to modernize Saudi Arabia and diversify its economic resources to tourism. The Prince's vision for Saudi Arabia is to improve the negative picture as regards how women are treated in Saudi Arabia.
Some other laws that are likely to be changed is that of women been prohibited to drive without the presence of a man. There actually isn’t no official law that forbids women from driving, it is the religious clergies that assert that women that drives undermine the social values.
Some other things that Saudi Arabian women are not allowed to do includes but not limited to the following:
- Showing their beauty: Saudi Arabian women are majorly enforced to wear the Abaya and a scarf in the bid not to have them expose them self particularly in respect of showing too much flesh or wearing too much makeup.
- Interaction with men: in Saudi Arabia, women are only permitted to have interactions with men that are not related to them only at public places such as banks, offices etc
- Sporting Activities: Women are restricted from participating in sporting activities because there will be need for them to interact with men and also expose their bodies.
Saudi Arabia can be referred to as the most gender segregated nation in the world but with the present government as led by Prince Mohammed Bin Salam, the gap seems like it is going to be bridged.
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