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Women’s Day: X-raying gender imbalance

By Sunmola Olowookere

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International Women’s Day is celebrated every March 8 in honour of women’s contributions to society, economy, culture, and politics.

It is also an occasion to consider the steps taken toward achieving gender equality in all spheres of life and the work that remains to be done to guarantee it.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’.

According to the United Nations (UN), women make up only 22 percent of artificial intelligence (AI) workers globally.  A global analysis of 133 AI systems across industries found that 44.2 percent demonstrate gender bias, and a survey of women journalists from 125 countries found that 73 percent had suffered online violence in the course of their work.

“From the earliest days of computing to the present age of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, women have made untold contributions to the digital world in which we increasingly live,” the UN stated. “Their accomplishments have been against all odds, in a field that has historically neither welcomed nor appreciated .

As women in the world over celebrates the “International Women’s day today, they should note that they are striving for gender equality, which should be earned. Not by asking for it to be delivered on a platter but by working for it with their sweat and grit, alongside their male counterpart. Then women will be able to confidently occupy the position because they worked for it.

Agreed, there is gender imbalance and under-representation of women in political office, but sentiments and emotional arm twisting should not be employed to drive home their demands.

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A day will come, it is only a matter of time, when a woman will shake the foundation of the old established male dominated system.

 This can happen if women stop seeing themselves as weak and needing acceptance by the males before they can find their footing in the realm of politics.

Why do women ask for 35 percent? Is there any law that states which sex should vie for positions? It is a known practice for the APC to field a woman as the Deputy governor.

Who says a woman cannot contest as governor? Is there any law barring them from contesting for exalted positions?

Women need to develop themselves if truly they seek gender equity. Asking for favours, easy way into positions will not garner them the respect they need.

It is becoming an usual practice for women to ask for a lower criteria while seeking for positions. While their male counterpart go the whole hog, the standard is lowered for them because they ask, demand and beg for it.

It is demeaning and unbecoming. Women must see such lowered standard as a discrimination clothed in sympathy. We should stop asking for such handouts. When you work for a position you occupy, you will exude confidence and authority.

There is a practice in some sectors where women are allowed to pay less than their male counterparts in obtaining forms especially in Trade Union elections. Rather than being happy about this, women must see it as a discrimination.

Are women handicapped? Do they take lesser salaries than their male counterparts? Are their certificates inferior? Do they carry more responsibilities than their male counterparts?

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If all these questions are answered in the negative? Then why the concession?

Upon query, the men say it is because they are women. And one can only wonder what a woman means to those that thought up the idea of the concession.

They must see women as a creature to be pitied and as such feel that the standard should be lowered for them. Women must change that kind of outlook about them. Women are known to be industrious, hence there is no need for anyone to look down on them by lowering standards for them while their colleagues are made to go through the normal standard.

Concessions and lowered standards are part of the reasons why men may never take women serious. When they think seriously about this, then they might begin to change their way of thinking. This will undoubtedly guarantee more respect for women.

Women need to renew their mindset in order to bring about the change they desire. In their fields of endeavour, they must let their impact be felt and not hide under the cloak of weaker vessel. It is in poor taste for a professional to dodge her duties and say “you know I am a woman”. What happens to the adage “what a man can do, a woman can do better?”

Agreed, many men are still uncomfortable with the idea of a woman being at the helm of affairs. They are seen as a gender that could go off the handle and be hysterical at the slightest provocation. Men need to understand that women have come a long way from the timid creature kept under the duvet to pander to their pleasure.

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They have come out stronger from the centuries of limitation, degradation and relegation. Like chiselled diamonds, they glitter with brilliance and determination to succeed.

Dora Akunyili of blessed memory among many other Nigerian women of note is an amazon that Nigerians; both male and female cannot forget in a hurry. Her landmark achievements in NAFDAC is what her successors have been building on.

Coming home, our own Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu is a leading amazon who rose through the ranks before getting to that exalted position she is today. No doubt, she has paid her dues to the society and it is clear that the higher rung of the ladder is definitely beckoning on to her.

Recall Jumoke Akindele, a onetime Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly who broke the jinx and became the first female speaker in the house. She is a woman of caliber who earned the respect of her colleagues and other people she came across.

All those mentioned above are women that carved a niche for themselves by dint of hardwork and determination.

Likewise, other women too must be determined and focused if they want to be seen as serious by the society. Many people see women as fickle and a specie that could change their mind at a whim but these attributes mentioned above will portray them as someone who knows what she is about.

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Women’s Day: X-raying gender imbalance

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