By Ogalla Daniel
The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Josiah Majebi, has asked the Kogi State branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Women Lawyers, to focus on addressing those areas that naturally promote discrimination against women, if the organization wants to eradicate gender imbalance in the society.
He cited traditional, customary and religious beliefs, as three societal orders that have been hindering gender equality.
Justice Majebi, gave this advice when he received the leadership of the organization, at the headquarters of the state judiciary in Lokoja, the state capital yesterday.
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While noting that the objectives of the group were lofty and welcomed, he said achieving them would require extensive advocacy and collaboration that target the erosion of those counter productive practices that are already been seen as societal norms.
These he listed to include adherence to such practices which have become conventions in the form of traditions; common but uncoded long-standing societal regulations in unwritten laws that regulate communities through families and kinship in the form of customs and lastly, religious beliefs resulting in conventions derived from tenets of faith and persuasions that dictates human relations.
Giving an example, he said it is sometimes noticeable that even women who advocate gender equality or women emancipation in the public were often victims of these hindrances as they are made to be submissive or subjective in their homes to these societal forces that are beyond their control.
Hence, he called on the women activists to channel their energy and resources towards educating and mobilizing the society against such extremely dehumanizing practices in the society even as he also advocated gender mutual understanding.
While equally maintaining that there are values in these three cardinal principles guiding the society which must be promoted, he said those which place women on disadvantaged position should be focused upon by the group so that children and generations to come would appreciate the contributions of the group.
“Generally, some cultures discriminate against women and the child learn from it. What I have not seen is the fight against the root of discrimination in gender. So let’s look at our traditions, customs and religious beliefs.
” These are the areas every organisation should focus on. You may not be able to stop every man from discrimination because of these, but when you’re constantly addressing it, they will begin to have a rethink” he said.
He further aligned this with the need for people to unite and share problems and challenges, saying that act would also be pivotal to fighting such health challenges as depression.
On the objectives of the organisation which he said were very good, he said the public would begin to seek the organisation’s advice and intervention when it has proven its integrity by pursing it’s aims and objectives to the letter.
He urged them to be devoted to their cause and added that the Judiciary would be supportive within its means.
Earlier, the leader of the group, Barr. Salamatu Madaki, an Assistant Director in the state’s Ministry of Justice, told the CJ that the visit was partly to familiarise with relevant agencies and to seek mentorship, encouragement and support towards achieving their objectives.
She said though there’s FIDA which stands as a global organisation for women lawyers, the extent of women-related discrepancies in Africa and Nigeria in particular requires that more organisations like the NBA Women Lawyers have to be on board to complement the activities of other civil society organisations focused on eradicating discrimination against women.
The knowledge, strength and encouragement gathered from advocacy she said, would be their stimulus to look into discriminatory gender policies including taking cognisance of the health of the woman, her need in terms of training for self sustenance and even sporting activities for her healthy living.
She appreciated the CJ’s warm reception stating that, his welcoming the organisation was an indication of his acceptance and support for the organization.
The group decorated the CJ with the organization’s memorabilia as a honorary member with an unhindered participatory involvement in all their activities and events.
