10 September 2017
World Bank supports literacy in Nigeria
Mr
Olatunde Adekola, who is a Senior Education specialist of the World Bank
representing the African region made a statement at the Pan African Literacy
for All Conference that was held in Abuja. And in his statement, he said that
the World Bank is going to continue to support the literacy rate in Nigeria by
concentrating on the children of school age.
The
conference according to The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was organised by
Reading Association of Nigeria (RAN) and was supported by the International
Literacy Association (ILA) as well as The Nigerian Federal Ministry of
Education.
Mr
Adekola, the Education Specialist, also said that the World Bank is in total
support of what the Reading Association of Nigeria is doing and for this
reason, they will continue to support the enhancement of Education in Nigeria.
The purpose of this commitment, he said is because
1) Education is very essential as a
determinant of the economy and growth of a nation.
2) There is the need for something
to be done so that the educational policies will be able to achieve a
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
3) There is need to think of a
holistic new approach to providing quality education for the vulnerable group
of people and most especially the girl child.
According
to Mr. Adekola, The World Bank has recently created a $1 million (One
Million Dollars) project that is set out to enhance the Northern part of
Nigeria. The project which is tagged Nigeria Partnership for Education.
This
project will be carried out by World Bank in partnership with other development
organisations such as USAID, UNICEF and DFID.
The
project will be focused on strengthening the government system of Education by
providing basic education for children in primary school level. Secondly, the
project will be focused on improving the supply and demand side of education in
particular to the girl child.
Mr
Adekola also noted that it is not just enough to enroll children in school
because they will also need to be provided with adequate learning tools. He
also said that the project will also include scholarship opportunities for
girls to enroll and study for 3 years at primary school level.
Teachers
who do not have the National Certificate of Education (NCE) will also be
granted scholarship to obtain the certificate within the next 3 years.
A few
days back, I published a post on this blog on Domestic Violence if you
missed it click here to catch up and I got various responses. A particular response
got me thinking because some people hide under the umbrella of religion
to beat their wives. Please watch the video below and spread the word.
6 September 2017
back to school
In most countries, it is about the beginning of a new school term for children and for this reason, we have to make sure that all children (not exempting the girl child) has to return to school. As we all know, the key to the empowerment of the girl child is education and the best form of development that you can give anyone is self-development. By giving the girl child an equal form of education as the male child, we are bridging the gap of gender inequality in our society.
The best way to develop and empower a girl child is by educating her and in other for us to successfully achieve this aim, there is a need for us to totally destroy all forms of barriers standing in the way of the girl child to successfully complete her education. The act of the girl child dropping out of school before the completion of their education has been on the increase lately in remote areas in Nigeria and some African countries but we need to understand that for us to bridge the gap of gender inequality, we have to empower our girls and young women by giving them a form of formal education. It is not enough that we build schools and provide teachers in the schools, we also need to understand that it is very important that we get the children to school because that is when they can benefit from the educational structure that is put in place.
When a girl child drops out of school before her graduation, she is limited in various aspect of life as she approaches adulthood. There is a need for a functional education system that practically gives priority to the education of the girl child. The circle of poverty in Nigeria and Africa will continue to increase if the girl child is not given an equal opportunity as the male child to complete her education.
While commending the various efforts that are been made by various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and various government agencies, there is still work to be done in order for the gender inequality gap to be bridged. We need to identify specific problems such as teenage pregnancy and early marriage which is a major reason for young girls dropping out of school and not being able to complete their education which shouldn’t be.
It is very important that we understand that when we educate the girl child, we educate a nation
3 September 2017
stop domestic violence
On
the 30th August 2017, The Nigerian Wedding Blog published an article
where the commissioner for Women Affair and Poverty Alleviation in
Lagos, Dr Lola Akande who was represented by Mrs Olushola Falana at an
event for Management of Domestic Violence. During her speech, she mentioned that women are the cause of domestic violence in Nigeria by their actions.
Mrs
Falana who is the Director of Women Development Department said vices
such as misguided utterances, infidelity, negligence and sophistication
by women are the reasons for domestic violence. However, she went ahead
to add that men that beat their women are beast and that no man should
raise their hand at a woman.
My View: This actually made me realize that our society needs more education on the subject of Domestic Violence. Domestic Violence by definition is the act of aggression towards any member of a family. When a family member is a victim of domestic violence, all members of the household becomes endangered and so is the society at large.
Considering the actual spectrum of domestic violence,
we will notice that the circle usually starts with violence towards the
mother and then the child or children also gets abused or traumatized
in the process (do not get me wrong, men also get abused but in most cases women and children are the victims).
Women’s
right a long time ago was just limited to the right to vote but now, we
are faced and still frustrated by a system that has an
unwritten code that a man’s home is his territory and what happens there
should stay there and you hear statements such as …it is a domestic
issue let them settle it amicably within the family.
We
are also faced by a society which makes the woman believe that she is
the reason for domestic violence. No woman, Child or Man deserves to be
abused for any reason and nobody deserves to stay in an abusive
relationship.
Should in case you find yourself in this situation run for safety and get help.
where to get help?
You can reach out to Project Alert, they stand for violence against women. They can be contacted via email on project@projectalertnig.org or call them on 08180091072
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
