Women Are
Posted by Michelle Moquin on 27th March 2012
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Nigeria: Significance of Women’s History Month
BY TERENCE P. MCCULLEY, 26 MARCH 2012
Every March, the United States celebrates Women’s History Month, a time to recognise the contributions that women have made and continue to make to their country.
Secretary Hilary Clinton has noted that “What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations will flourish.” These words have particular relevance as we celebrate Women’s History Month around the world and as we continue to make strides for women’s progress.
On December 10, 2011, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three extraordinary women who have led the fight for human rights and democracy in their home countries – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia, and Tawakkol Karman of Yemen. Their achievement signifies recognition on the world stage of the essential role that women must play in the hard work of building peace and sustainable communities in the 21st century.
When I reflect on the contributions that these women made to their nations, I’m reminded of the important roles that Nigerian women have played in their country’s history. In fact, there is an old song about the great Queen Amina of Zaria from the 16th century who was famous for her bravery in battle, and credited as the architect who created the strong, earth walls that surround Zaria. The song tells of her being “a woman as capable as a man”.
Although I’m sure that is meant to be a compliment, we are thankfully past the era when we need to compare a woman’s abilities to a man’s. Queen Amina of Zaria was extraordinary in her own right. Another extraordinary woman, who played an important role in American history, was the former slave, abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth. She famously asked the question “Ain’t I a woman?” in response to those who said women were too weak to plow fields and raise cattle, as she had done, or too unintelligent to give speeches, as she did with such force on behalf of freedom for African Americans and women.
Thanks to the hard work of many women and African Americans won their rights and are able to participate freely in U.S. society. It is also true that Nigerian women, whether in Zaria, Lagos, or Kano, now need not be royalty for us to recognise how much they contribute to the well-being of their country. Women, both in Nigeria and the US, are crucial to their countries’ strength, prosperity and development.
Take, for example, Nigerian and American women’s participation in government. Ambassadors Susan E. Rice and U. Joy Ogwu serve as Permanent Representatives of the United States and Nigeria, respectively, to the United Nations. Both women have used their posts at the UN to advance global human rights: Ambassador Rice has championed UN efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and enhance humanitarian assistance in Iraq, Afghanistan, Cote d’Ivoire and Libya; while Ambassador Ogwu led the UN Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and served on the UN mission that supervised South Africa’s transition out of apartheid.
Ambassadors Rice and Ogwu demonstrate tremendous strength of leadership in defending the rights of all people, and in doing so set great examples of civic engagement and public service. That said, American and Nigerian women remain underrepresented in all three branches of government. More troubling is that in Nigeria, women are far less likely to vote than men are. As we celebrate the contributions that great African and African American women have made to their nations, let us also remember that all citizens-whether black or white, and whether male or female-have the right to vote and the potential to lead.
In recognition of this potential, President Barack Obama released the first-ever U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security in December. This plan charted a roadmap for how the US will accelerate and institutionalise efforts across the government to advance women’s participation in preventing conflict and keeping peace. This initiative represents a fundamental change in how the U.S. will approach its diplomatic, military, and development-based support to women in areas of conflict, by ensuring that their perspectives and considerations of gender are woven into the fabric of how the US approaches peace processes, conflict prevention, the protection of civilians, and humanitarian assistance.
We are at a moment of historic opportunity. Secretary Clinton has referred to this era as “the Participation Age”. This is a time where every individual, regardless of gender or other characteristics, is poised to be a contributing and valued member of their society and its economy.
The dedicated and innovative women who have persevered to change the face of global business are perfect examples of the Participation Age. One of the most famous of them is American talk show host and businesswoman Oprah Winfrey. Born poor, education and courage helped her find her way out over poverty. She crafted a new, empathetic style of media that propelled her brand into a global empire. She was once the world’s only black billionaire, male or female, and has been recognised by CNN and Time magazine as “arguably the world’s most influential woman.”
Nigerian talk show host and entrepreneur Mo Abudu has been called “Nigeria’s Oprah,” and has said before that she draws inspiration from Winfrey, but she used her own, distinct style to pursue different ambitions. Her biggest personal achievements have come through efforts to inspire others to success: she translated her recruitment expertise into a successful human resources development company, and now offers more inspiration to Africans in 48 countries through Africa’s first syndicated daily talk show, Moments with Mo.
Women entrepreneurs do not, however, need to earn a billion dollars or speak to an entire continent to change lives. Many run successful farms or small-scale manufacturing businesses that support their families.
The UN reports that women grow 80-90 per cent of all food in sub-Saharan Africa, and female farmers generate 22 per cent more yield than their male counterparts. The World Bank has found that women in Africa who assume microfinance loans are 26 times more likely to pay them back than men: the money goes into successful businesses that turn enough profit to repay debt.
Achievements like these are even more impressive when you consider the difficult conditions experienced by female entrepreneurs in Africa. Women typically face higher barriers to financing a new business, and have more problems getting bank loans to continue their businesses than their male counterparts.
I’m excited about new efforts to change this, including the Central Bank of Nigeria’s fund that will lend to female entrepreneurs at attractive rates, and the Women for Change and Development Initiative, which includes plans for economic empowerment through micro-financing and training. I hope that these programmes can help more businesses run by women compete to their full potential on a more level playing field.
Today’s women have proven themselves to be “as capable as a man” in all walks of life, not just business and politics.
Women are a cornerstone of America’s foreign policy and of the global economy because the simple fact is that no country can hope to move ahead if it is leaving half of its people behind. Women and girls drive our economies.
They build peace and prosperity. Investing in them means investing in global economic progress, political stability, and greater prosperity for everyone-the world over. As we honour them today, let us renew our resolve to work for the cause of equality each and every day of the year.
Ambassador McCulley is a US diplomat
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