Women need workplace security –Ezekwesili

Former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili
| credits: File copy

Former Minister of Education, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, on Thursday said there was a need for workplace security for women.

She made this statement while criticising the commercialisation of women in the banking sector during a panel discussion on Gender Based Violence, organised by Project Alert on Violence Against Women, a non- governmental organisation.

Ezekwesili said, “It is terrible what so many women are going through in the banking sector in the name of getting deposits. There has to be workplace security for women and the government has to enact family friendly and economic policies that would help check this trend.

“An abused woman can never attain her potential in life; she is already devalued in her mindset. Once a woman is abused, the society is abused.”

Ezekwesili, who is also a former Vice-President of the World Bank’s Africa Division, attributed the rise in GBV to the culture of silence in the society and called for partnership involving all stakeholders.

“A problem not dealt with is a problem that has been accepted. There should be shared partnership between the civil society, the government, private sector and the family in ending GBV,” Ezekwesili added.

Executive Director of Project Alert, Dr. Jospehine Effah-Chukwuma, while presenting the panellists for the discussion, said, “The statistics on GBV are a frightening revelation because children below the age of 17 are at risk, and that is why we had to do the report and publish it.”

A motivational speaker and counsellor, Mr. Praise Fowowe, raised the alarm on the increasing number of boys who were being violated and sodomised in the society.

He said, “More boys are being violated than ever before. This year alone, I have counselled many six-year-old boys that had been sodomised. The sexual abuse of boys is not what people talk about, but it is happening. Men who are sexually abused often grow up to do same if not counselled.

“Violence against women is on the rise because of cultural and religious lining. When a woman is not allowed to speak in the church, it sends the signal to men that they are inferior. When they are told to seat at the back in places of worship while the men seat in front, the same mentality is perpetuated.

“Men need to be mentored and groomed to respect women. We need to protect the girl child. I also urge women to stand against wife beaters; any man who beats a woman doesn’t need one. Once he has been identified, other women should not marry him. You don’t prove your manhood by beating women.”

The event, which was held to commemorate 16 days activism against GBV, also featured the presentation of a book by Project Alert, ‘Sexual Violence in Nigeria: A Silent Epidemic’.

Special Adviser to the Ogun State Government on Millennium Goals, Mrs. Hafsat Abiola- Costello, while reviewing the book, said the task of ending GBV could not be done without the support of men.

Other personalities present at the event were the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Risikat Akiyode, representing the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Nollywood actress, Rita Dominic; Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, Dr. Maymunah Kadiri; an entrepreneur and survivor of sexual violence, Miss Emmanuella Braide; and Director of Dansol Schools, Mrs. Adun Akinyemiju.

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