Olu Samuel, Lokoja

The Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) calls on the Nigerian government to take bold steps to end the increasing gender inequality and remove the barriers that hinder women’s access to equal opportunities and inclusive development.

A statement issued on Tuesday to mark the ‘World Day of Social Justice,’ the forum lamented the gate of women at all levels in the country who were confronted by discrimination and inequality on daily basis..

“They face violence, abuse and unequal treatment at home, at work and in their wider communities and are denied opportunities to learn, to earn and to lead”.

The forum said that women form the majority of those living in poverty. They have fewer resources, less power and less influence compared to men, and continue to experience further inequality because of their class, ethnicity and age, as well as religious and other fundamentalism.

While the Nigerian Constitution provides for gender equality and non-discrimination, women, women with disabilities and gender non-conforming people continue to suffer injustices and marginalization due to discriminatory laws, religious and cultural norms, and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women’s lives.

“While Nigerian women have continued to champion activism and advocacy over the years, the Nigerian government at the local, state and federal levels are still failing in the fight for gender equality”.

“We cannot ignore the fact that social injustice is an important principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence for all in the country. We make this critical call to government at all levels to remove the barriers that hold women back from thriving due to patriarchy, social and cultural biases including gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.” The forum added.

“On this World Day of Social Justice, we further call on governments at local, state and federal levels to remove barriers to social justice for women and ensure opportunities for the advancement of social justice for women are in place. Governments at all levels must take bold steps to promote inclusive economic advancement, protect women’s human rights, and address social and economic inequalities that hold women back from achieving their potential”.