Editorial
It is an acceepted fact that women all over the world are regarded as both home and development partners to men. The importance of women in the family and society is invaluable. It can not be quantified.
At times, especially in developing countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, women are relegated to the background because of the patriarchal society prevalent in countries within these continents. This is regrettable and hypocritical because while in such societies, women are projected as inconsequential to the existence of the male folks, yet at the same time, the men can not live without them.
The good news today,however, is that the world is metamorphosing into a global village because of the advent of communication technology. As the world embraces this metamorphosis, there is, nevertheless, one nagging issue prevalent in developing countries like Nigeria,which is sexist practices in Development Support Communication.
Sexism is the worst impediment confronting women empowerment and development. In Nigeria, evidence abounds to suggest that the people’s sociocultural attitude,especially in the rural communities, revolve around a sexist orientation. This, of course, has led to agitations against sexism by the women folk.
Sexism is a form of discrimination based on gender – an unfair treatment of people, especially women, because of their sex. As a pervasive issue in most Nigerian communities, sexism can manifest in various ways, such as unequal access to information, limited participation of women in decision-making processes, and stereotypical portrayals of women in development projects amongst others.
This discriminatory attitude against women has adversely affected their involvement and participation in issues of development in most Nigerian communities. The idea of Development Support Communication is to create an avenue through which this imbalance can be rectified or mitigated.
Development Support Communication,according to Manyozo(2012), is a specific approach that concentrates on providing communication support to development projects and programmes. It designs and implements effective communication strategies, materials, and activities.
Nigeria Horn Newspaper,however, observes that the patriarchal nature of communities in Nigeria continues to pose a big threat to the realization of the ideal essence of Development Support Communication. Women are still being tactfully sidelined from access to information relating to development programmes. Without access to communication, there is no way women can be aware of any development initiatives or planned programs for any development projects.
In the considered view of Nigeria Horn, this discriminatory attitude is atavistic,unfair, and anachronistic against women. In this 21st century, it is debasing to still believe that women are only meant to be seen and not heard. It is unacceptable by any standards to continue relegating women to the background, second fiddle roles, or perceiving that they are meant for farm works or very important only “in the other room.”
We call for an end to this unfortunate and anti-development practices against women in any form or guise. Without women, the world would definitely be a boring place for the male folks.
As a panacea to any form of sexist practices against women,Nigerian Horn recommends that the government – federal, state, and local government – should, through its various agencies like Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC),South East Development Commission (SEDC),etc, embrace or adopt the Gender and Development (GAD)approach as propounded by the World Bank in its 2012 Report on “Gender Equality and Development.” The Report emphasizes the need to address gender inequalities and promote women’s participation and empowerment in development projects using the GAD approach. The Report has sexism and development as its core focus and recognizes the fact that women and men have different needs,interests, and experiences that must be taken into consideration in development planning and implementation.
Hopefully, by the time government development agencies indepthly appraise this World Bank Report 2012,there would be a paradigm shift in the conception, planning, and implementation of development projects in our communities with women holistically carried along.
Women like the male folks in any society have their low points as humans. They should not be discriminated against because of their sex gender. Any form of discrimination against them on grounds of sex is worse than an apartheid policy. Women deserve fair and just treatment in all spheres of human endeavours like the men for “what is good for the geese is also good for the gander.”
