LACK OF LEADERSHIP WHICH CONTINUE TO PLAGUE WOMEN SHOULD BE ADDRESSED

Dear Michelle Bachelet,
It is indeed my pleasure writing you and your team on our vision and recommendation for UN Women. It pleased us so much to hear that women are now given a place in the UN agenda and that you are appointed as the head. I want to encourage you on behalf of the women in my community to address seriously the issue of lack of leadership which continue to plague women all over the world especially Africa. The reason for the marginalization of women in this part of the world is not far from the culture of silence which is so much established in the society. In Nigeria, there are many proverbs which established the fact that women are not suppose to raise their voices in the society. Some of them are:- 'husband is the head of the wife, it is then that life is good', ' orders are in the mouth of men, women are to keep quiet,carry them out without complain', When women is issuing order, the world is turning upside down'. The equal representation of women in politics and leadership is becoming more and more difficult because of the stereotypical attitudes towards the gender role of men and women. In Nigeria where 45% of the population are women according to the last census in 2006, yet out of the 109 seats at the Senate, women are 8 and out of the 360 seats at the House of Representative, women are 24. As at 2002, only 4.6% of the academic staff of 23 universities were female professors. it was also observed that (8) out of those 23 universities were not having female professors at all. As at 2007/08 in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 17% of the academic staff are females with only 13 female professors out of 192 professors.
Nigeria have never produced a female Governor not to talk of president to date. Women continue to be minority among men where they will have little or no impact at all. The issue of poverty must be addressed seriously, women should be empowered, respected and stereothypical attitudes must stop if we are going to achieve gender equality. God will use you and your team to put women in the appropriate place God want them which is beside the men for the good of His universe.
Thank you

Busayo Obisakin
Guidance Counsellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
Director, Women Inspiration Development Center, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

As the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women officially begins its work this month, World Pulse is asking women worldwide: What is YOUR vision and recommendation for UN Women? We invite you to raise your voice by writing a letter to UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet outlining your recommendation for how this new UN agency can truly affect change on the ground to promote gender equality and uphold the rights and needs of women both on a local and global scale.
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