It is that time of the year again- International Women’s Day. Yet, anyone who is familiar with the layers of oppression will not be quick to shout “hooray.”
IWD was officially marked for the first time on March 9, 1911, as women demanded the right to vote, hold public office, and generally be free from systemic discrimination, including socio-cultural biases and workplace discrimination. It was less of a celebration and more of an agitation across Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, Austria and a few other countries across Europe. The commemoration gradually continued, spanning across regions of the world. More than one million people celebrated in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. As a matter of urgency, women worldwide identified with the significance of the Day’s actions, and it ultimately culminated in significant world events such as the Women’s Bread and Peace Strike at St. Petersburg, Russia, demanding an end to World War I and ultimately part of agitations leading to the Russian Revolution in 1917.
Although the International Day of the Woman was initially recognised in communist countries and celebrated by fiercely communist and socialist organisations, it quickly gained acceptance and began to gain prominence. In China, March 8 was declared a “half day of work” for women in 1949.
Ahead of the global prominence of IWD, there was a one-of-its-kind revolutionary movement in West Africa— the Aba women’s resistance movement of 1929 that took place in Eastern Nigeria. It began as a series of protests involving thousands of Nigerian women. The women bravely challenged the British colonial authorities’ harsh treatment and unnecessary tax regime. That movement forced many warrant chiefs to resign, and the system of warrant chieftaincy was ultimately abolished in 1930 by the colonial government. Women were also appointed to the Native Court system for the first time.
Although the United Nations commenced the celebration of IWD in 1975, the demand by women for equal rights and fair treatment had grown through self-mobilisation, strategic organising and the courageous tenacity and resilience of women groups in the face of suppression and physical danger. The agitations were also popularised by feminist contentions and demands, insisting on equitable conditions for women to live and thrive, including equal opportunities, bridging of the gender pay gap, respect for the dignity and reproductive rights of women, and the prohibition of violence against women.
The United Nations’ declaration in 1977 of the “International Women’s Year” expanded the acceptance of the critical importance of not only the discourse of women’s rights but also the corresponding actions. The UN urged member states to proclaim March 8 as the United Nations’ Day for Women’s Rights and World Peace.
Since the UN’s declaration, March 8 has symbolised the global “celebration” of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, as well as the official day for spotlighting nagging issues surrounding gender parity worldwide. The day also marks a call for action for accelerating women’s equality. This year’s celebration, themed “Accelerate Action,” focuses on the importance of taking swift and decisive steps towards achieving gender equality.
Sadly, the issue of equality often sparks debates in many societies. Some male-dominated spaces regard the demand for reflections of gender equality in societal considerations, laws and policies as an affront to men’s privileges. This mindset is rather regrettable. The mischievous insistence on needless debates and the constant narrowing of women’s rights advocacy down to competitive struggles does a lot of disservice to the critical need for gender parity and equality of sexes in society. Women’s rights and wellbeing touches the root of political and social ecosystems, with core issues hinging on social reproduction and the agelong deprivation of agency to women. A deconstruction of the complex web of nuanced shortcomings in social interactions through political ecosystems and a decidedly feminist approach to governance promises wide-ranging benefits to the general society. As it is often ‘commonsensically’ said, a society that excludes a sizeable percentage of its population in the determination of its collective affairs shortchanges itself.
“Women’s rights are human rights” has been branded, but has remained at best, a cliché in the current affairs of many societies. The spirit of that statement should in fact, be revived and allowed to be translated in our individual and collective actions as a society. The rights of women should be recognised and respected in economic, cultural, political or social affairs, beyond cliches and tokenistic approach to affirmative actions.
Judging by the continued domination of the political front by powerful men, whose credential of competence or capacity is the least consideration for power, but gender and the ability to “grab” power. It is easy to decipher why even the women who get “lucky” enough to be allowed into the male-dominated political spaces contend with forces that threaten their longevity and effectiveness. They are often forced to make the impossible choice between gatekeeping patriarchy and remaining relevant, or playing as an equal and being booted out overtly or covertly, through the instrumentality of institutionalised oppression tactics. Hence, the women who manage to occupy a seat in the political space are deprived of the required autonomy and agency to make their voices count.
In the series of events witnessed in the ninth Senate few days ago that involved the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of sexual harassment, a few salient issues are noteworthy. The matter, touching on alleged gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment, was eventually referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. It is critical to note that the committee, headed by a man, also has its members as predominantly men. Such a situation, therefore, gave wide room for questions regarding the possibility of bias in its considerations and decisions, given the maladjustment and lack of balance. It was, therefore, not a surprise to many when the decision of the committee was the recommendation of a six-month suspension of the female senator without as much as a recommendation for the allegations she brought forward to be investigated.
At this critical point in our existence, all our interactions and relational frameworks must be measured against the principles of fairness and reexamined through the lens of equity to make meaningful progress, and nurture a wholesome society where all can thrive. This is the only way to accelerate progress.
- Aderonke Ige is a human rights lawyer, development practitioner and founder of Help Initiative for Social Justice
