As Nigeria observes International Women’s Day alongside the global community, attention is drawn to the persistent harmful traditional practices that perpetuate inequality and discrimination against women.
In a shocking case, The Guardian gathered that a widow in Enugu State was compelled to revisit her grief six months after her husband’s passing, as his kinsmen deemed her initial mourning period insufficient, sparking a distressing ordeal that highlights the persistence of harmful cultural practices.
This is despite the fact that the state has adopted the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP Act), which prohibits all forms of violence against persons in the country.
In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Enugu State Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs, and Social Development, Ngozi Eni, disclosed that the perpetrators of the heinous act have been arrested and charged to court.
Eni strongly condemned the act while stressing the state’s disapproval of harmful traditional practices, as well as any form of sexual or domestic violence or abuse against children and adults.
The Commissioner noted the state’s commitment to protecting its citizens from harmful practices and promoting a safe and respectful environment for all.
Her words: “In Enugu State, we have zero tolerance for any form of sexual or domestic violence or any form of abuse, both for children and adults alike. And Enugu says no to any form of harmful traditional practices going on in the state. And we are, with the support of the governor, fighting hard to see that we curb all these harmful traditional practices going on in the state.
“I mentioned a case that happened at Igbo-Eze-North Local Government Area, where a woman was asked to come back to cry after six months of burying her husband because the kinsmen believed that she didn’t cry enough when the husband was buried.
“We got the information, and we swung into action immediately, making sure that all those involved are arrested and charged to court.
“We are in full implementation of our VAPP Law. And our justice system is functioning very well. We informed the governor about it, and he gave us approval to empower the woman.”
According to her, financial instability, particularly among women, is a significant contributing factor to the prevalence of harmful traditional practices and gender-based violence.
“We believe so much in empowering women because when you look at all that is happening around, you will see that it is mostly a case of financial instability. That is mostly what is causing this gender-based violence. We got a shop for the woman and equipped it for her. Empowering her is giving her a voice. It is making sure that she and the children don’t lack food. It is making sure that the woman is not traumatised by what she had gone through in the hands of her late husband’s people,” she added.
March 8 marks the annual celebration of International Women’s Day, a global event recognising women’s accomplishments and championing gender equality.
The 2025 theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” underscores the pressing need to accelerate progress toward achieving equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls worldwide.
Meanwhile, 30 years after world leaders adopted a historic blueprint to achieve gender equality, a new United Nations report says women’s and girls’ rights are under attack, and gender discrimination remains deeply embedded in economies and societies.
The report, released Thursday, focused on women’s rights and gender equality and found that nearly one-quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash to women’s rights last year.
The number of countries reporting a backlash is likely underreported and reflects “an increasingly hostile environment,” UN Women’s Policy and Programme Director, Sarah Hendriks, said at a news conference.
Despite some progress, including in girls’ education and access to family planning, UN Women said a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by a partner or family member and that cases of conflict-related sexual violence have increased by 50 per cent since 2022. (The Guardian)
