GENDER BASED VIOLATION SHOULD CONTINUE?

Being a woman in Africa is problematic from birth to death arising from complicating cycles of abuses to the extent that women’s status are belittled and discriminated wholly and nobody ever seems to care. This happens politically, socially, religiously and traditionally and is the rational motivation for doing so. Gender based violation is a crime against humanity. It starts small and gravitates uncontrollably. Stopping it at the small stage remains the best option still.

  

Poor and uneducated women are most vulnerable and will continue to be the horses even as advocacy goes on. So it is time to reflect and rethink about women’s rights treaties vis a vis in African context so that treaties and conventions are not allowed to be seen as paper work.

TELL ME THE RIGHTS

Gender violation has increased and in the last 100 years, nothing has really changed. Men still beat women and go free, children are still married out to older men, minors are raped and is on the increase, gang rape is also increasing, women are denied ownership to properties, women are still far behind in technology and so on and so on. So tell me, where are their rights gone?

I make bold that African women faces all sort of challenges and abuses in silence even to death. At homes, they are beaten, battered, bruised and killed. At schools and work place they are sexually harassed, raped and abused. At religions centers they are not to be heard, needless to mention traditional centers where genital mutilation is promoted and done. With law enforcement agencies, they are stranded when law enforcement sides societal attitudes and hinder justice.

Women rights are human rights, make no mistake about it. But the bigger issue is when women themselves refuse to push for implementation of their rights for redress; allowing emotions to override. Another is how can we make women rights rounded and more integrated as people’s agenda for men buy in. A situation where men begin to see women’s rights as empowerment than confrontation?

Men ought to be educated and enlightened about rights on a round table. We’ll need “men to men” dialogue and advocates. I tell you, this can change hearts of stones.

STANDING TALL ON WOMEN’S CONVENTIONS

It is critical to look again at the “Convention on the elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women”(CEDAW). To realize one or more reasons

Most African countries have not domesticated the conventions after signing and why they may never domesticate it? Could it be that they believe it is affront by tradition and culture that men and women are equal in all ramifications as clearly stated on the convention? My guess is as good as yours. This to me seems to be.

So don’t bother to know that 90% of legislators, policy makers and implementers in African countries are men. These people will do all to frustrate bills and efforts for gender equality, even as most of them could be guilty if I am to be a judge especially in rape and child marriage. But am not a judge so let say it again.

I know “Real men don’t beat women, but weak men do”. And according to 2015 women Beijing +20 reports, African have the highest physical and sexual violence at 45.6% in low to middle income countries. So I ask how can we break this cycle of violence and raise real men given the situation.

And I remember that globally every year, from 25^th Novvember-10^th December is 16days activism dedicated against gender based violation. And this year’ starts now forward, that I can count on you to add up voice that would break this cycle by doing any little program within you to educate and enlighten yourself and your neighbor about it. About girl' child education and not forgetting women too. Educating boys at schools about gender violation and what it is, is a deal. So we can prevent it in future.

But educating girls about their rights also is a bigger deal, so we can have better outcome, sustainable peace of mind, at home and to the world. If we are able to do this, then I can see the light raising real men from the boys and I know the sun will rise again in Africa; where women will be seen as solution and treated with respect, free and equal. Only then will Africa arise.

#genderbasedviolation #unwomen


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