My lawyer-friend, Timi Olagunju, recently sued President Jonathan and six others over what he called gender discrimination in the YouWin Women programme of the Federal Government. The policy, in its current format, my friend argues, violates section 42 of the 1999 Constitution. Aside the YouWin Women, the recently launched Almajiri Education System by the Federal Government, and the proposed 5000 naira note by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), are, to say the least, segregationist.
The YouWin programme should be for all young Nigerians, irrespective of their gender. The federal government can attempt to bridge the ‘gender gap’, if that truly exists among millions of unemployed Nigerian youths, through a more humane and gender sensitive quota (say 60/40 percent in favour of women). I think that was the method they used for YouWin last year.
Similarly, in the wake of incessant Boko Haram menace in parts of the North, the federal government introduced the Almajiri Education System, whereby potential (future) recruits by religious extremists would receive free primary education and feeding along the line. It is meant to integrate Islamic and Western education. Whereas, like YouWin Women, Almajiri education is meant to bridge some gap, it might end up widening the gap. Just like the YouWin Women would endanger gender equality and promote segregation among our youths, Almajiri education would foster social, economic and religious segregation. Continue reading “Rethinking Segregationist Policies”
