Being a woman in Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with a population of 158 million people. 60% of the population live under the poverty line. Petrol and agriculture contribute to 80% of the GDP. Women constitute a large part of the working force in the agriculture sector and they produce most of the food which is consumed locally, they play a vital role in rural development.

However, Nigerian women face a lot of cultural, religious and juridical factors that put them in a subordinate position to men. For instance, the female access to education remains lower than male access. Harmful and traditional practices still persist. 28% of women between 15 and 29 are married, divorced or widow (UN) and domestic violence is widespread.

It results in a situation where marginalization, trivialization and stereotyping of women are glaring aspects of Nigerian society.

Training on women’s rights

Friends of Humanity is very attached to defending women’s rights. The promotion of women’s rights is essential for sustainable development. The respect of women’s rights and the reduction of the gender gap keep being brought out by international institutions as key conditions to reduce poverty.

In this scope, those trainings aimed at:

• making rural women more aware of their rights
• strenghtening their socio-economic capacities
• sensitizing religious and community leaders on the hazards of women marginalization

Women were asked to replicate what they have learned in their communities.

The impact

«If you educate a man, you educate one person. If you educate a woman, you educate a whole family.» – Indian Proverb

After the training, the women had a better knowledge about women’s rights. They took a more active role in preventing and responding against women’s marginalization. They had contributed in a more efficient way to the improvement of their living conditions. On a long term basis, we expect those trainings to promote and increase awareness and talk about women’s rights issues in the whole society.