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Equipping The Girl-Child For Nation Building

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When we put education first, we can reduce poverty, hunger, end wasted potential and look forward to stronger and better societies for all. “These were the words of the United Nations’ Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon during his launch of the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) in September 2012.

The Global Education First Initiative, which spurs renewed efforts to reach global education goals, aims to raise the political profile of education, inspire new partnerships and mobilise additional funding to deliver on the promise of education for all.

The initiative focuses on three priority areas. First, to ensure that every child of school age is in school as a human right. Secondly, to  improve the quality of learning and thirdly, to foster global citizenship which emphasises the transformative power of education as the only tool of providing children with the understanding they need to co-operate in resolving the interconnected challenges of the 21st Century.

Therefore, if education for all should be the concern of the global government and citizens, it follows that the education and training of the girl-child in Nigeria will remain an agenda that cannot be exhausted in a hurry, until a reseasonable result is obtained and visibly observed too.

As natural home makers and builders, suffice it to say that talks about nation- building can only be realistic when women are properly educated and subsequently empowered, so they can be part of the scheme. Why? Because nation-building requires a democratic society that allows contribution of all; rich, poor, male, female, youth and adult.

The 2013 theme for International Women’s Day Celebration, “Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum” captured the essence of getting the women involved in the scheme of things by first becoming enlightened and then economically viable.

For this reason, the Ministry of Women Affairs’s effort is evident in skills acquisition programme in agro, crafts and ICT in collaboration with the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) as part of her empowerment programmes.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs in Rivers state, Mrs Joeba West, had said it is time for women to access and evaluate their level of achievement in the area of empowerment.

“This can also be seen in Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s efforts in providing free education and free school materials to cushion the financial burden on parents in giving their children quality education the commissioner affirmed.

Mrs West, who believes in the magic of advocacy and sensitization, used the opportunity of the International Day for the Girl-Child to implore parents to invest in the education of the girl-child and take advantage of the free school programme and model schools established all over the state, stating that her ministry’s mandate is to educate and empower women and girls as well as reaffirm their human rights.

According to the commissioner, the Ministry of Women Affairs also has the mandate to address the discrimination and violence faced by women in their families and societies at large.

“In line with this year’s theme for the International Day of the Girl-Child, “Innovating for Girls Education,” the Ministry of Women Affairs has package a mentoring programme known as the “Growing Into Real Life (G.I.R.L), initiative whose mission is to provide the girl-child with the much needed guidance and counselling services with which to fight the challenges of dropping out of school,” she said.

The ministry, the commissioner revealed, is also working on a support and advocacy programme that will encourage girls and women who are either not educated or stopped their education abruptly due to teenage pregnancy, early marriage or lack of fund, to take a second chance at education.

Mrs West believed that except such is achieved, the girl-child cannot be said to have been given equal opportunity to thrive favourably in every area of life like her male counterparts.

 

The Commissioner for Women Affairs said the ministry would stop at nothing in discouraging the girls from giving up their chance at being educated in favour of their male siblings, maintaining that where a woman is educated, a nation is educated, referring to a popular saying that:

“Education is central to the development and improvement of a nation. This is because it empowers people and subsequently strengthens the nation. It serves as an eye opener to nation’s people to enable them lift themselves out of poverty.

It is obviously in recognition of this fact that two of the MDGs had to do with education: They are Universal Primary Completion, and Gender Parity in Primary and Secondary Schooling, she maintained.

she added that, education, especially girls’ education has a direct and proven impact on the goals related to child and reproductive health and environmental sustainability, insisting education also promotes economic growth, national productivity and innovation as well as values of democracy and social cohesion.

According to her, broad-based education of good quality is among the most powerful instruments known to reduce poverty and inequality. With proven benefits for personal health, it also strengthens nation’s economic health by laying the foundation for sustained economic growth.

For individuals and nations, she said it is key to creating, applying, and spreading knowledge and thus the development of dynamic, globally competitive economies. It is also fundamental for the construction of democratic societies. From the fore-going, the importance of girl child education in a nation’s welfare are;

Reduction of  inequality. In this wise, education is a great leveler, the strongest predictors of poverty. Primary education plays a catalystic role for those most likely to be poor, including girls, ethnic minorities, orphans,’ disabled people, and rural families. By enabling larger numbers to share in the growth tide that lifts all boats.

Increase in productivity and earning. Research has established that every year of schooling increases individual wages for both men and women by a worldwide average of about 10%. In poor countries, the gains are very great.

Driving of economic competitiveness: An educated and skilled workforce is one of the pillars of the knowledge-based economy. Increasingly, comparative advantages among nations come less from natural technical innovations and the competitive use of knowledge. Studies also link education to economic growth: Education contributes to improved productivity which in theory should lead to higher income and improved economic performance.

It has poverty-reducing effects: Education can virtually contribute to the attainment of MDGs. While two of the goals pertain directly to education, education also helps to reduce poverty, promote gender equality, low child mortality rates, protect against HIV/AIDs, reduce fertility rates, and enhance environmental awareness.

It reduces women’s fertility rates: women with formal education are much more likely to use reliable family planning methods, delay marriage and child bearing, and have fewer and healthier babies than women with no-formal educatton. It is estimated that one year of female schooling reduces fertility by 10%. The effect is particularly pronounced for secondary schooling.

It lowers infant and child mortality rates: women with some formal education are more likely to seek medical care, ensure that their children are immunised, be better informed about their children’s nutritional requirements, and adopt improved sanitation practices. As a result, their infants and children have higher survival rates and tend to be healthier and better nourished.

It creates intergenerational education benefits: Mothers’ education is a significant variable affecting children’s education attainment and opportunities. A mother with a few years of formal education is considerably more likely to send her children to school. In many countries, each additional year of formal education completed by a mother translates into her children remaining in school for additional one-third to half year.

Investment in girl education therefore benefits the individual society and the world at large.

 

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Girls looking into the future, during the 2013 Universal Children’s Day celebration in Abuja recently.

Girls looking into the future, during the 2013 Universal Children’s Day celebration in Abuja recently.

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Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

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A woman needs a man that is honest,  trustworthy,  nice,  loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, If there is no money,  it is always difficult.


Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3:Your desire  shall be unto you……..
That is one aspect  the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy,  at least helping to do one or two things.   A man that is educated and intelligent.
She knows that there is a trait that her husband has.  Traits of taking care of people,  giving freely to people and caring for her family.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family,  remembering his family even as he is away from home.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.


According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that the women builds her home.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit.  Don’t be a monitoring spirit.  Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband.
The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.


The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man.  A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

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What Women Want In Yet-To -Be Husbands

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What women want in their yet-to- be husbands matters a lot as far as marriage is concerned.
A woman desires a good fnancial prospect. Interestingly, some modern women place a man’s financial potential as more desirable than they have in the past.
Many decades ago, women ranked it lower on the list. It still comes in after items like love and maturity, but perhaps today’s women realise that a good economic partner is good husband material.
Good health has been an important characteristic for women through the 20th century and remains so these days. One might argue that because we’re living even longer, health plays a huge role in the success of a marriage. Women are anxious to know that their partners are healthy to be able to run the family together.
You discover that in most faith based organisations, would- be couples are mandated to go for medical tests to ascertain their health status as it concerns HIV/AIDS, Genotype and other related ones. This according to stakeholders is to ensure that couples raise healthy families.
Ambition has become less important to women over time, though it still being considered even if women nowadays are thriving in the workforce competing with the male folk. It may be because more women are thriving in the workforce, they want a husband who has earning power but are not looking for him to be the sole provider.
More women want husbands with pleasing disposition. They may not want a man who is always moody. A man who is always cheerful is whom they desire.
Surprisingly, a man’s likes do not rank as high on women’s list of wants as it used to. Until recently, women are more willing to accept a man for who he his, despite the inevitable mood he may be.
Sociability from both men and women rank very high on their marriag material list. And for both sexes, it has been steadily moving up the list for many years. The rise of the “love marriage,” a partnership based on attraction rather than practicalities (like wealth or status) might mean that married couples are more likely to be friends and have mutual circles of friends.
A lot of couples want to associate with others and then socialise. Attending parties of other friends forms part of their marriage requirements.
Women have placed education and intelligence top making it one of their most desirable male traits for decades. This timeline coincides with more and more women receiving college education themselves. Once education becomes important in women’s lives, it is a more attractive trait in potential husbands.
Of course when a woman is educated, she is likely to go for an educated man. When they are gainfully employed, their income boost the family affairs faster.
Today, women are much more attracted to men who are interested in home and family than they ever have been. Men who have desire for their home and children is whom they desire.
After a days job, a man will come home to ensure that his children are comfortable. Because most women today are expecting to be in dual-earner relationships, they want husbands who will be happy and willing to contribute at home. More women today even report that they hope he will take the lead at home.
A woman wants a man who is emotionally stable and mature. Growing big physically is not the issue but maturity in the heart.
Men, too, place a heavy emphasis on a potential wife’s emotional maturity, signaling that it is a key quality for a stable partnership. Women seem to look past appearance to the heart of the matter.
A woman wants a man who is not easily provoked. Dependable character is what some women want in marriage.
Women want husbands that they can count on, and this has not changed in recent years. Yes, women look to their spouses to be lovers and friends, they also want them to be supportive and trustworthy. They want to know that their husbands will be there and remain loyal. Men, too, desire dependable character from their yet-to be wives.
Mutual attraction and love from the first appearance is what they want till they become old.
The highest-rated characteristic women seek from men is mutual attraction and love. Some no longer look for a man who will provide everything, afterall they are also educated and are gainfully employed, they want to be in love.
For some women, even when the man do not provide household needs, the love shown on her is enough. When women had no job prospects and needed to marry, they desired love . The women’s movement has not only helped women pursue careers, it has also given them more choice in love.

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Echoes Of IWD : Need To Invest In Women

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As this year’s Internatinal Women’s Day (IWD) has come and gone, there are calls from different quarters on the need to invest in women so that we can achieve accelerated growth.
It was, indeed, a thing of joy when Rivers Women Unite For Sim, took delivery of large quantities of sanitary towels and some bags of rice provided them for this year’s celebration.
Many young women expressed joy that they got such gesture since some of them have financial problems getting sanitary towels whenever they are on.
Some secondary school students were also lucky to have a share of the benefits. They also got some sanitary towels.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs organised a platform to celebrate and honour the women for the remarkable jobs they perform in their homes and society.
Addressing women on the occasion, the Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Roseline Apawari Uranta, noted that women from time immemorial have been great pillars in achieving remarkable heights and stressed that IWD across the globe is pivotal all women for the roles they play in bringing, nurturing and sustaining life.
Dr. Uranta said that IWD, which started in 1911 and celebrated annually on March 8, is a global day that provides women a platform to address economic inclusion, participation in political and public life.
She said the day was set aside to look into lack of access to education for the girl-child, gender-based violence, child marriage, child trafficking, harmful cultural practices as well as other challenges facing women around the globe.
The Hon. Commissioner, who described March 8 as a day to celebrate the socio-economic, cultural and political achievements of women, emphasised that it is a day that offers women the opportunity to reflect on progressive achievements.
Noting that it is an opportunity to call for change, she stressed that it is also an opportunity to celebrate acts of courage and every achievement made by ordinary women who did extraordinary things and are remembered in history.
She noted that the IWD2024 theme:”Invest In Women, Accelerate Progress”, is timely and apt because according to her, to achieve gender equality, we must ensure that the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women do not elude them.
Her words: ” We must see investing in women as a human right issue and consider investing in women as a social tool to eradicate poverty since women are helpmeet in the homes while a handful are breadwinners in their respective families”.
The commissioner urged women to uphold the deliberate act of investing in themselves, be it furthering formal education, developing a new skill as well as learning a trade.
“Shun idleness, always find something positive and productive to do, regardless of your age, social status and financial capabilities”, she said.
In a paper presentation, Dr. Dabota God’swill Jumbo, reiterated that investing in women would attract good and positive dividends to herself and the society at large and noted that it is essential in addressing poverty, hunger and climate change.
The guest speaker said women need more opportunities in elective and appointive positions, hence the need to encourage and support them in politics.
According to her, when you invest in women, they will be able to create safer environment devoid of gender-based violence.
In a goodwill message, the spokesperson, Rivers Women Unite For Sim, Mrs Charity Deemua appreciated the organisers for making it possible for women to gather and celebrate themselves.
She commended those who created a day like March 8 of every year to celebrate women and regretted that the girl-child was seen as a second-class person decades ago.
The former commissioner, Rivers State House of Assembly Commission, described those who taught it wise for women to celebrate as conquerors, tough and strong.
International Association of World Peace Advocates, a world-class organisation with the United Nations, honoured different categories of women.
In Cross River State, 150 women were empowered with about N15m to boost their small and medium scale businesses.
According to stakeholders, the women empowerment is vital in addressing social, economic and political challenges and will make them self-reliant.
An NGO, Association of Professional Women Engineering Technologists (APWET), said it’s aim is to promote professional excellence among engineering personnel, advocating for women and girl-child education.
With what we saw in terms of response to women’s call on issues affecting them from relevant authorities, we are optimistic that the women will do better whenever they are empowered.
If we must kick out cervical, breast and other forms of cancer in women, underage marriage, prostitution, we must invest in women.
There were goodwill messages from National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC, Nigeria Association of Female Journalists (NAWOJ), among others.

By: Eunice Choko-Kayode

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