Tolulope Omosalewa Babawarun, an epidemiologist is the Senior Programs Coordinator at the Center for Comprehensive Promotion of Reproductive Health (CCPRH) formerly known as Centre for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH). She is passionate about female reproductive issues, dangerous cultural practices, abuse and violation of rights of women and children. In this interview, she speaks on women inclusion, the fate of women in the Nigerian society, gender bias and stereotypes as well as economic liberation among other issues.
For a while, inclusion has been the focus of conversation on women, will you say women are now fairing better?
Considering the patriarchal nature of our society, the message of inclusion needs to be continuously preached until it becomes part of our lives and daily routine. Women now have better chances and representation in politics and leadership roles. An example is the recent representation of women as the MD/CEOs of notable banks – Zenith, GT bank, Access, FCMB, Citibank, Fidelity Bank, Unity Bank, and Union Bank.
Barriers still exist hence women are still grossly under-represented in politics and top leadership roles in society. These barriers include gender stereotypes of some roles, especially those that are male-dominated such as technology and engineering. Unequal distribution of responsibilities at the home front may also pose a barrier to women’s participation in politics and leadership.
Your organization engages in a lot of advocacy, how have these activities helped better the lot of women and children?
At CCPRH our advocacy efforts are in line with our vision Equity in Health and Development for All’ which also drives our mission to support and strengthen the health and well-being of family members, especially women, newborns, children, and the vulnerable, to achieve the best quality of life they desire and deserve by developing and promoting best practices delivered through inclusive knowledge sharing, research, and effective programming.
These have shaped our advocacy efforts toward improving the lives of women and children within our society. Recent examples are our efforts toward FGM elimination which have been supported by the government and donor agencies. These have included advocacy and raising awareness at the national, regional, and state levels to government agencies, health regulatory bodies, and associations on medicalized Female Genital Mutilation known to be responsible for about 13% of the practice in Nigeria. This led to the inclusion of Female Genital Mutilation in the curriculum of the Schools of Nursing and Midwifery and the declaration of its abandonment by 13 health bodies and associations within the country.
CCPRH advocacy efforts at the community level have empowered over 20 CBOs for FGM awareness creation across LGAs over 20 LGAs in Oyo state. Advocacy to community and religious leaders by CCPRH and these CBOs has led to the declaration of FGM abandonment in about 50 communities in 8 LGAs in the state.
Advocacy efforts also led to the training of 740 healthcare providers for the provision of preventive and treatment services for survivors of FGM who are mainly women and children. This has led to over 200,000 women receiving adequate health care for complications from FGM in the last five years.
Will you say the Nigerian society is fair to women?
This is a very complex and multidimensional question. In terms of policy and frameworks for policy implementation, the Nigerian society has not been fair enough as seen in the non-inclusion of women in policy formation, and where policies exist, its implementation faces challenges. This also applies to politics where women are underrepresented for reasons earlier mentioned.
There are ongoing efforts to challenge these norms through education, advocacy and creation of opportunities for women. Nigerian society is still a long way off to attaining equity for women in her society.
Do you think there’s a restriction on women in the professional circle in Nigeria?
There are restrictions on women that hinder their participation in the professional circle in Nigeria. Top on the list is gender bias and stereotyping where tradition and cultural norms assign certain roles to men and women with women being expected to prioritize family roles over professional goals. This poses a challenge to women being able to balance a career and family, along with the experience of career interruptions for maternity leaves or to care for aged or ill family members.
Women who can surmount these initial challenges may also face workplace harassment and discrimination in the form of uneven pay or workplace policies which hinder their growth and the value of their contribution to the workplace.
These challenges can be resolved by the enactment and enforcement of workplace policies that consider gender peculiarities, and most importantly cultural shifts to create a more equitable and professional environment for women in Nigeria.
What are your thoughts on women having streams of income?
This cannot be overemphasized. Economic empowerment is the first step to liberation. It opens a new world to women that ensure their rights, especially the right to life and access to good health care for themselves and their offspring are duly protected.
Multiple income streams give a woman financial independence and empower her to invest in her personal growth and prepare for emergencies that may arise.
What are your expectations from the government towards boosting productivity in Nigeria?
The government needs to do more to create an enabling environment that supports local productivity. We have heard of industries that have folded up due to the challenges posed by the Nigerian system. Top on the list of challenges is the lack of power which is the bedrock on which efficient productivity stands.
The drop in productivity across many industries has led to a decrease in economic growth, leading to loss of jobs and income to the average Nigerian. Its ripple effect has been felt throughout the country where Nigerians are struggling to survive on a daily basis. The government needs to focus mainly on power generation, supply and infrastructural development (roads and rails network).
Next is the development of policies that aid production, especially for small and medium-scale industries, access to loans that support agriculture, and technological innovations. The security situation in the country has to be looked into as this has hampered production, especially in the area of agriculture leading to the high cost of foodstuff in the country.
The government needs to commit to sustainable development for all while ensuring inclusivity to boost productivity in the country.
How easy is it to be a female professional?
The female gender is faced with multiple obstacles as many would love to refer to them that hinder her professional growth. Many of which I have mentioned above. However, I believe that with determination and hard work, any female can excel in any profession she has chosen to pursue. ‘’Nothing good comes easy’’. For those of us coming behind, we can learn from the experiences of other female professionals who have preceded us.
To every female professional out there, I will repeat this quote which I consider applicable, “Empower yourself with knowledge, embrace your unique strengths, and let no barrier hold you back. Your aspirations are the seeds of change—nurture them, and watch them transform not just your life, but the world around you.”
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