Despite inclusive policies, Nigeria has a long road to gender inequality with records of death, poverty and political disenfranchisement prevalent for women.
- Of 144 countries, Nigeria ranks 122nd in closing the gender gap;
- One in every three Nigerian women has suffered physical and/or sexual violence;
- Nigerian women only earn 77 cents for every dollar that men get for the same work;
- Women account for most of Nigeria’s unemployment and underemployment;
- While women accounted for most of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce, they represent only 13% of agricultural landowners;
- Political exclusion and education parity are some other gender issues experienced by Nigerian women;
- Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by 23 per cent—or $229 billion—by 2025 if women took part in the economy to the same extent as men.
We would be remiss not to acknowledge the progress made in combating inequality in the last few decades. However, for every policy authorities institute, an instance of economic, political or outright violence against women ensues. The situation is grim for Africa’s giant, which ranked 122nd out of 144 countries in the 2017 Global Gender Gap report. What’s more, reports still show disparities in access to education and employment in Nigeria. But perhaps the most concerning issue is the repercussions; they range from death to temporal or permanent disabilities, mental health disorder and others. This article presents some topmost gender issues in Nigeria.
Gender-based violence
Thirty-five per cent of women in Nigeria have experienced gender-based violence. This implies that one in every three Nigerian women has suffered physical and/or sexual violence. According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, 31% of women between ages 15 and 49 have experienced physical violence while 9% have experienced sexual violence. Further, 36% of once married Nigerian women have suffered spousal violence. Nigeria also has a prevalence of female genital mutilation; at least 20% of Nigerian women between ages 15 and 49 were circumcised as of 2018. Forced early marriage is also prevalent in the country. Drivers of violence against women in Nigeria include social norms, economic stress, family relations, patriarchal beliefs, and targeted assertions against female autonomy.
Economic inequality
Findings further reveal a gender discrepancy in economic empowerment. According to the United Nations Development Programme, Nigerian women only earn 77 cents for every dollar that men get for the same work. This means that a Nigerian woman would earn ₦7,700 for a ₦10,000 job. In fact, even though women comprise slightly less than 50% of Nigeria’s population, they account for over 70% of those in extreme poverty. Another manifestation of the economic inequality experienced by Nigerian women is financial exclusion. As much as seven in 10 Nigerian women do not own bank accounts and more than half of them are financially excluded. Also, while women accounted for most of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce (75% in 2014), they represent only 13% of agricultural landowners.
Discriminatory employment practices
There are indications that Nigerian women still experience discriminatory practices while seeking employment. Increment in labour force participation is yet to translate into significant improvement concerning increased decision-making power for women. In fact, according to the International Labour Organization, most Nigerian women are still discriminated against. Common discriminatory employment practices in Nigeria include wage parity, inadequate maternity leave, sexual harassment, and slow promotion to top managerial positions. Besides, the recently published labour force statistics have shown that although women represent 51.6% of Nigeria’s working-age population, only 48.4% were in the labour force. Also, only 40.6% of the total of 35.6 million fully employed Nigerians were women. Women also had a higher percentage in underemployment (52%) and unemployment (56%)
Political Exclusion
Political exclusion is yet another issue faced by women in Nigeria. In 2018, only 24% of national parliamentarians were women. In fact, the Nigerian political space lacks gender-focused inclusion. Globally, Nigeria ranks 181st out of 193 countries for female representation in parliament. For the 2019 general elections, only five of the 73 candidates who contested for the presidency were women. Also, women made up only 4% of the elected officials after the elections. Besides, only about 16% of Buhari’s ministers are women. This is despite advocacy around 35% affirmative action in the country.
Education Parity
Access to education for school-age girls in Nigeria is also low. Statistics from Nigeria’s Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) showed that males had higher enrolment numbers for basic education as of 2018. Also, in the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Nigeria, only 48.30% per cent of the total number of candidates were female. However, Nigeria girls have shown incredible excellence in potential. According to UBEC, females had the most basic education promotion and completion rates. Also, 50.23% of the candidates who got five credits inclusive of English and Mathematics in 2019 WASSCE were female.
Prospects of Inclusion
We cannot overstate the need for the Nigerian government to deliver more inclusion and real protection for Nigerian women. Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, but it is also crucial for a sustainable future. This is because empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by 23 per cent—or $229 billion—by 2025 if women took part in the economy to the same extent as men. Similarly, the International Monetary Fund noted how gender inclusivity could grow Nigeria’s economy on average by as much as 1.25% points.
On a general note, these gender-based issues call for the development of a comprehensive framework for women’s protection in the country. We must guarantee women protection from discrimination by policy and practice. Again, legislative protection for Nigerian women is crucial now. The Nigerian government should follow up on the domestication of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act in states across the country. They should also develop legislation and frameworks to guide 35% affirmative action in the country.