Women
Equipping The Girl-Child For Nation Building
When we put education first, we can reduce poverty, hunger, end wasted potential and look forward to stronger and better societies for all. “These were the words of the United Nations’ Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon during his launch of the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI) in September 2012.
The Global Education First Initiative, which spurs renewed efforts to reach global education goals, aims to raise the political profile of education, inspire new partnerships and mobilise additional funding to deliver on the promise of education for all.
The initiative focuses on three priority areas. First, to ensure that every child of school age is in school as a human right. Secondly, to improve the quality of learning and thirdly, to foster global citizenship which emphasises the transformative power of education as the only tool of providing children with the understanding they need to co-operate in resolving the interconnected challenges of the 21st Century.
Therefore, if education for all should be the concern of the global government and citizens, it follows that the education and training of the girl-child in Nigeria will remain an agenda that cannot be exhausted in a hurry, until a reseasonable result is obtained and visibly observed too.
As natural home makers and builders, suffice it to say that talks about nation- building can only be realistic when women are properly educated and subsequently empowered, so they can be part of the scheme. Why? Because nation-building requires a democratic society that allows contribution of all; rich, poor, male, female, youth and adult.
The 2013 theme for International Women’s Day Celebration, “Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum” captured the essence of getting the women involved in the scheme of things by first becoming enlightened and then economically viable.
For this reason, the Ministry of Women Affairs’s effort is evident in skills acquisition programme in agro, crafts and ICT in collaboration with the Empowerment Support Initiative (ESI) as part of her empowerment programmes.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs in Rivers state, Mrs Joeba West, had said it is time for women to access and evaluate their level of achievement in the area of empowerment.
“This can also be seen in Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s efforts in providing free education and free school materials to cushion the financial burden on parents in giving their children quality education the commissioner affirmed.
Mrs West, who believes in the magic of advocacy and sensitization, used the opportunity of the International Day for the Girl-Child to implore parents to invest in the education of the girl-child and take advantage of the free school programme and model schools established all over the state, stating that her ministry’s mandate is to educate and empower women and girls as well as reaffirm their human rights.
According to the commissioner, the Ministry of Women Affairs also has the mandate to address the discrimination and violence faced by women in their families and societies at large.
“In line with this year’s theme for the International Day of the Girl-Child, “Innovating for Girls Education,” the Ministry of Women Affairs has package a mentoring programme known as the “Growing Into Real Life (G.I.R.L), initiative whose mission is to provide the girl-child with the much needed guidance and counselling services with which to fight the challenges of dropping out of school,” she said.
The ministry, the commissioner revealed, is also working on a support and advocacy programme that will encourage girls and women who are either not educated or stopped their education abruptly due to teenage pregnancy, early marriage or lack of fund, to take a second chance at education.
Mrs West believed that except such is achieved, the girl-child cannot be said to have been given equal opportunity to thrive favourably in every area of life like her male counterparts.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs said the ministry would stop at nothing in discouraging the girls from giving up their chance at being educated in favour of their male siblings, maintaining that where a woman is educated, a nation is educated, referring to a popular saying that:
“Education is central to the development and improvement of a nation. This is because it empowers people and subsequently strengthens the nation. It serves as an eye opener to nation’s people to enable them lift themselves out of poverty.
It is obviously in recognition of this fact that two of the MDGs had to do with education: They are Universal Primary Completion, and Gender Parity in Primary and Secondary Schooling, she maintained.
she added that, education, especially girls’ education has a direct and proven impact on the goals related to child and reproductive health and environmental sustainability, insisting education also promotes economic growth, national productivity and innovation as well as values of democracy and social cohesion.
According to her, broad-based education of good quality is among the most powerful instruments known to reduce poverty and inequality. With proven benefits for personal health, it also strengthens nation’s economic health by laying the foundation for sustained economic growth.
For individuals and nations, she said it is key to creating, applying, and spreading knowledge and thus the development of dynamic, globally competitive economies. It is also fundamental for the construction of democratic societies. From the fore-going, the importance of girl child education in a nation’s welfare are;
Reduction of inequality. In this wise, education is a great leveler, the strongest predictors of poverty. Primary education plays a catalystic role for those most likely to be poor, including girls, ethnic minorities, orphans,’ disabled people, and rural families. By enabling larger numbers to share in the growth tide that lifts all boats.
Increase in productivity and earning. Research has established that every year of schooling increases individual wages for both men and women by a worldwide average of about 10%. In poor countries, the gains are very great.
Driving of economic competitiveness: An educated and skilled workforce is one of the pillars of the knowledge-based economy. Increasingly, comparative advantages among nations come less from natural technical innovations and the competitive use of knowledge. Studies also link education to economic growth: Education contributes to improved productivity which in theory should lead to higher income and improved economic performance.
It has poverty-reducing effects: Education can virtually contribute to the attainment of MDGs. While two of the goals pertain directly to education, education also helps to reduce poverty, promote gender equality, low child mortality rates, protect against HIV/AIDs, reduce fertility rates, and enhance environmental awareness.
It reduces women’s fertility rates: women with formal education are much more likely to use reliable family planning methods, delay marriage and child bearing, and have fewer and healthier babies than women with no-formal educatton. It is estimated that one year of female schooling reduces fertility by 10%. The effect is particularly pronounced for secondary schooling.
It lowers infant and child mortality rates: women with some formal education are more likely to seek medical care, ensure that their children are immunised, be better informed about their children’s nutritional requirements, and adopt improved sanitation practices. As a result, their infants and children have higher survival rates and tend to be healthier and better nourished.
It creates intergenerational education benefits: Mothers’ education is a significant variable affecting children’s education attainment and opportunities. A mother with a few years of formal education is considerably more likely to send her children to school. In many countries, each additional year of formal education completed by a mother translates into her children remaining in school for additional one-third to half year.
Investment in girl education therefore benefits the individual society and the world at large.
Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi
Girls looking into the future, during the 2013 Universal Children’s Day celebration in Abuja recently.
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
