Understanding Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV)
As much as we define violence as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself or another person”. The real violence mostly perpetrated in contemporary African societies is what I like to tag as “Emotional Violence”. The term “Emotional Violence” could be used interchangeably with “Psychological abuse”. Emotional abuse could happen to anyone. This form of abuse is often characterized by a person or group of people subjecting or exposing another person to a behavior that may result in psychological trauma.
Gender-based Violence (GBV) is commonly allied with the girl child. Well, it is important to note that, Gender-based Violence includes both men and women. Factually speaking, violence against women is one of the most predominant Human Right violations in the world. As you read this, an estimated one in three women have experienced physical/sexual violence in their lifetime. Girls who are victims of these heinous acts could suffer devastating health consequences such as; insecure abortions, unwanted pregnancy, STDs like HIV/AIDS or Gonorrhea, overall societal stigma and sometimes even- Death. Gender-based violence is so severe, it demoralizes the wellbeing, self-esteem, sanctity and independence of its sufferers, yet amongst African societies it continues to remain masked in a culture of stillness.
Sexual and Gender-based Violence takes many forms, the most recurring of such form is Discrimination. In social psychology, Discrimination is the treatment or making a distinction towards a person, based on the group, class, or category to which the person is perceived to belong. Or simply put, the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
Women keep the world going- birthing and raising children etc. Yet, in Nigeria where masculine work force culture is still emphasized, women are always seen as the second fiddle in workplaces or work-related foci, all factors solely attributed to being disadvantaged because of their gender identity.
In Politics, gender exclusion of women is glaringly obvious. In 2011, Sarah Jibril contested for Presidency and scored one vote. She further was nicknamed, “One woman, one vote”. At the moment, in President Buhari’s current Ministerial list, out of 24, only 5 are women. In the Senate, out of 109, only 6 women are Senators. In University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the post of the Vice-president of various faculties, departments and the SUG is usually reserved for the women. As a matter of fact, if a girl contends Presidency, she will tend to lose more votes, she automatically would be viewed as one who is trying to prove that men and women are equal. Actually, no one dares, because of that romantic regret of knowing you still would not win.
More than a third of girls in Nigeria end up in child marriages, and with 22 million girls married before the age 18. According to a 2018 UNICEF report, Nigeria has the highest child brides in Africa. It is extremely difficult for girls to remain in school once they get married. Marriage at an early age disseminates the sequences of poverty, poor health and illiteracy. Rather than condemned, child marriage still happens predominantly in modern day Nigeria, especially in Northern Nigeria. No one talks about the adverse effect on overall development, prosperity and autonomy of the girl child.
Our society has a lot to answer for, particularly where the treatment of women in concerned. Why isn’t anyone raising concerns over the preference of the male-child to the female-child who are perceived as inferior subordinate to the male among Igbo people sustained through colonial cultural influence of self-categorization? Sadly, women are not entitled to inheritance, she would be shipped off to her husband’s house and expected to take his name. Additionally, men are allowed to take multiple wives. No one talks about rehabilitation of women and the stigma they suffer after the said failed marriages due to domestic violence like wife battering, not being able to conceive children etc.
A classical instance of discriminatory action targeted at women could be referring to a woman who sleeps with multiple men as “Ashawo” or Prostitute, regrettably, no one remembers the men that sleep with her whilst calling her such names.
Sexual and Gender-based violence is a thing. With our voices together, it is possible to challenge historical power imbalances and affect lasting change in our society.
My name is Chisom Juanita Mefor, a student of University of Nigeria and a participant of Youth Hub Africa’s Massive Online and Open Course on Sexual and Gender-based violence.
I thank you for your time.
Gender-based Violence (GBV) is commonly allied with the girl child. Well, it is important to note that, Gender-based Violence includes both men and women. Factually speaking, violence against women is one of the most predominant Human Right violations in the world. As you read this, an estimated one in three women have experienced physical/sexual violence in their lifetime. Girls who are victims of these heinous acts could suffer devastating health consequences such as; insecure abortions, unwanted pregnancy, STDs like HIV/AIDS or Gonorrhea, overall societal stigma and sometimes even- Death. Gender-based violence is so severe, it demoralizes the wellbeing, self-esteem, sanctity and independence of its sufferers, yet amongst African societies it continues to remain masked in a culture of stillness.
Sexual and Gender-based Violence takes many forms, the most recurring of such form is Discrimination. In social psychology, Discrimination is the treatment or making a distinction towards a person, based on the group, class, or category to which the person is perceived to belong. Or simply put, the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
Women keep the world going- birthing and raising children etc. Yet, in Nigeria where masculine work force culture is still emphasized, women are always seen as the second fiddle in workplaces or work-related foci, all factors solely attributed to being disadvantaged because of their gender identity.
In Politics, gender exclusion of women is glaringly obvious. In 2011, Sarah Jibril contested for Presidency and scored one vote. She further was nicknamed, “One woman, one vote”. At the moment, in President Buhari’s current Ministerial list, out of 24, only 5 are women. In the Senate, out of 109, only 6 women are Senators. In University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the post of the Vice-president of various faculties, departments and the SUG is usually reserved for the women. As a matter of fact, if a girl contends Presidency, she will tend to lose more votes, she automatically would be viewed as one who is trying to prove that men and women are equal. Actually, no one dares, because of that romantic regret of knowing you still would not win.
More than a third of girls in Nigeria end up in child marriages, and with 22 million girls married before the age 18. According to a 2018 UNICEF report, Nigeria has the highest child brides in Africa. It is extremely difficult for girls to remain in school once they get married. Marriage at an early age disseminates the sequences of poverty, poor health and illiteracy. Rather than condemned, child marriage still happens predominantly in modern day Nigeria, especially in Northern Nigeria. No one talks about the adverse effect on overall development, prosperity and autonomy of the girl child.
Our society has a lot to answer for, particularly where the treatment of women in concerned. Why isn’t anyone raising concerns over the preference of the male-child to the female-child who are perceived as inferior subordinate to the male among Igbo people sustained through colonial cultural influence of self-categorization? Sadly, women are not entitled to inheritance, she would be shipped off to her husband’s house and expected to take his name. Additionally, men are allowed to take multiple wives. No one talks about rehabilitation of women and the stigma they suffer after the said failed marriages due to domestic violence like wife battering, not being able to conceive children etc.
A classical instance of discriminatory action targeted at women could be referring to a woman who sleeps with multiple men as “Ashawo” or Prostitute, regrettably, no one remembers the men that sleep with her whilst calling her such names.
Sexual and Gender-based violence is a thing. With our voices together, it is possible to challenge historical power imbalances and affect lasting change in our society.
My name is Chisom Juanita Mefor, a student of University of Nigeria and a participant of Youth Hub Africa’s Massive Online and Open Course on Sexual and Gender-based violence.
I thank you for your time.
Wonderful and great
ReplyDeleteThanks, that is a good paper work.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff
ReplyDelete"With our voices together, it is possible to challenge historical power imbalances and affect lasting change in our society." you summed it up here...and btw....u write really well!
ReplyDelete