The Disadvantage in a Culturally Diversified Society: Focus on the Girl Child in Northern Nigeria

Author(s):  
Roseline Emeh Uyanga
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Halima Ali Buratai ◽  

Rape is considered as a heartrending moment in a woman’s or girl’s life, it is reality but remain hidden to appropriate authority due to certain distress associated with stigma against the survivor, fear of victimization, cultural barrier, religious sentiments, shame influential, and lack of cognizance on human right. Rape is simply when sexual intercourse occur without ones consent (not willing) or force a person to have sexual intercourse against his/her will, it happen when someone is intoxicated from alcohol or drugs and sometimes for ritual purpose. It can be through vagina, anus or mouth. In northern Nigeria, rape is defined under section 282 of the panel code as. (a) Any act of rape against her will, (b) obtained by putting her fear, threats or death, (iii) with her consent when the man knows that he is not her husband and that her concern is given because she believes that he is the man who to whom she is or believe herself to be lawfully married to, (iv) with or without her consent when she is under fourteen years of age. The main objective of this paper is to examine the following. Why do men rape? How does rape harm victims psychologically? , What should I do if I have been raped? How can I protect myself from rape? What is the best way to prevent STD. Rape as felony, is among the most serious crime a person can commit, men as well as women and children can be raped. This paper will seek an answer to the above questions and provide some recommendations which will be of great importance to social agencies, survivors, parents and security agencies.


Author(s):  
Ani, Nwachuchu Agwu ◽  
Onuoha, Onyekachi Chibueze ◽  
Lawal Hamzat

In Nigeria in the 1950s, a person with a liberal arts education was considered a truly educated person. The liberal arts education was for personal development and deployment in the administrative services and teaching but had little commercial scientific application. Admittedly, this era of generalists is dying, giving way for a new paradigm. The new paradigm is the knowledge economy. Now, to be an effective player in the knowledge economy, an individual needs specialised knowledge and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is the building block. In Northern Nigeria, there is a problem - STEM is still generally seen as courses for the men while the women are encouraged by their parents to pursue careers in the liberal arts when they did not drop out. The resultant effect is a reinforcement of gender inequality and economic disparities which negates the spirit of Sustainable Development Goals. Disturbed by the trend, Connected Development with support from development partners, is using her innovative Follow-The-Money project to pilot grassroots-based advocacy aimed against STEM-inclined stereotypes and out-of-school syndrome - which disproportionately affects the girl child. The campaign methodology involves surveying and profiling dilapidated schools in rural communities and peri-urban areas in Northern Nigeria and conveying findings to political authorities and policymakers for intervention. While political accountability must be extracted from authorities, we engage social/informal institutions to build up interest for girl child education. Follow The Money is challenging stereotypes, social norms and cultural practices impeding the uptake of STEM education and also strengthening informal structures to demand political accountability. Through high-level engagements, results show unprecedented reconstruction and rehabilitation of dilapidated schools and enrolments are soaring. Undoubtedly, the proportion of girls taking up interests in STEM has improved remarkably. Follow-The-Money is now scaling-up across the 36 states in Nigeria.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
Letticia Ikiomoye Beredugo ◽  
Awoniyi Babafemi Adeyanju ◽  
Maureen Bunadoumene Nkamare ◽  
Binaebi Amabebe

The practice of early marriage for women remains rampant in developing nations around the world today, and it is a major problem contributing to maternal ill health and death in Nigeria. It has consequence on both social and health of not only the girl child but the children born to these young mothers. The aim of the study is to identify the determinant factors and health implications of early marriage on the girl-child in Otuan Community, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A descriptive study was done using a descriptive cross-sectional survey type of design, One hundred and thirteen (113) respondents were recruited for the study. A self-developed pilot tested questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The instrument was face validated by three experts in the field of Nursing and research; reliability was established using the test retested method and a retest coefficient of 0.82 was arrived at; and data generated were analysed. The study found that; majority of the respondents identified poverty/economic hardship, tradition and culture of the people, area of settlement, peer group and parental neglect as determinant factors that influences early girl-child marriage. The respondents also identified maternal and infant death, sexually transmitted diseases, child disability, prolonged sickness after birth and psychosocial problems as health implication of early girl-child marriage. The study further revealed that the girls had experienced excessive bleeding, anaemia, and prolonged/obstructed labour as complications during pregnancy. The study found that increased educational attainment among girls, risks, change of cultural norms that support early child marriage, and provision of economic opportunities for girls and their families as ways of preventing early girl-child marriage. it is recommended that proper education of girls and parents on the associated risk of early girl-child marriage and formulation of laws and policies to protect adolescent is advocated.


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