By: Oluwatosin Adesola
The Federation of Women of Lawyers, FIDA, Ondo State branch, has insisted that it will work with other women groups and associations to ensure that Ondo state produces First Female Senator and more female members of the House of Representatives and at state Assembly; SUNSHINETRUTH can report.
The state FIDA Chairperson, Mrs Catherine Ogunjebi, stated this in Akure while speaking with newsmen on the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day.
Ogunjebi noted that with various advocacy and sensitizations that had been initiated by FIDA in collaboration with other interested groups, qualified women would be pushed, encouraged and supported ahead of the 2023 general election to attain key political powers.
The FIDA Chairperson who lamented that only one female National Assembly member had been produced from Ondo state since inception of democracy, said the Association was committed to ending all biases being faced by women across various spheres of the society.
The women lawyers’ group noted that the pinnacle of the biases against women in Nigeria was the decision of the 9th National Assembly which voted against all gender related -bills presented before it during the recent constitution review.
Speaking on the theme ‘Gender Equality Today for A Sustainable Tommorrow’, Ogunjebi, maintained that in certain areas and workplace women has been stereotyped to that up certain inferior positions.
She said “Gender bias is seen and experienced in the day to day activities of the female gender ranging from educational systems in schools, where some designate leadership positions are compulsorily given to male students for the sole reason of their gender rather than merit.
“Gender bias is also seen in work space where women are systematically not allowed to rise in ranks and hold certain managerial positions because they are seen as the weaker gender to be saddled with responsibilities or even seen as docile, thus causing women to experience a barrier.
“Other biases include sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, unequal pay and positional bias (that is in most organizations, a woman is seen as most suited for the role of receptionist, secretary, customer care rather than active positions) women are mostly unfairly assigned inferior designations by the reason of their gender, even though women have proven to produce the same results when given same or equivalent opportunities.”
While stressing that FIDA in the state will continue to engage women across the state to step into the political space and take their positions, Ogunjebi said individuals should be judged based on merits and individual capabilities, not based on gender.
“FIDA Nigeria Ondo State Branch is a keenly interested and ready to address issues of gender bias and all forms of violence in our Ondo State. It is our mandate to protect, preserve and promote the rights of women and children in the society.
“To this end, allow me reiterate that we have well trained and capable hands to handle gender cases and engage communities and the government in driving the needed change.”
