Ambassador(Pastor) Edewor Egedegbe
By Ejiro Nesisa
Male Feminist Network (MFN), South -South has been flagged off in Warri with a view to building a Nigeria where men and women can thrive equally in all ramifications and be free from fear, bias and discriminations.
Briefing newsmen at High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo Press Centre in Warri on Friday, South – South Co-ordinator of Male Feminist Network and Executive Director, Value Rebirth and Empowerment, Initiative, Ambassador(Pastor) Edewor Egedegbe said across the world and for centuries, women have been marginalised socially, economically, and politically as one in every ten women lives in poverty. According to him, the Nigeria’s situation is worse as in 1922 under Clifford Constitution, men were allowed to vote while women had no choice but wait 57 years – 1979 Constitution before they could be allowed to have the same right of voting with men adding, that exclusion placed women at disadvantaged positions in their lives.
His words:” Women are less likely than men to have access to social protection, decent work or financial services…Women make up only 27.2 % of parliamentarian globally…” According to Ambassador (Pastor) Egedegbe, in rural Nigeria, while women make up 60 to 79% of the workforce, men are five times more likely to own land just as he said, in the area of leadership, only 4.7% of members of the House of Representatives and 2.7% of Senators are women which he described as the lowest in the world while countries like Rwanda has 61.25%, South Africa has 46.23%, Senegal-46.06%and Namibia has 44.23%.
Ambassador(Pastor) Egedegbe said, based on 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, Nigeria ranks 130th out of the 146 countries adding that, mortality rate stands at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, which to him, one of the highest in the world. His words:” Every year, thousands of girls drop out of school due to early marriage, teenage pregnancy and poverty…”
According to him, it is because of the inequality women face with men, Male Feminist Network in collaboration with African Centre for Leadership tries to redefine masculinity, promote gender justice and inspire men to become true allies in the fight for gender equality and elimination of gender- based violence.
His words:” The Male Feminist Network seeks to redefine masculinity, promote gender justice…in partnership with our trusted collaborators, African Centre for Leadership Strategy and development, we are implementing this initiative across the South-South region with a shared vision to build a Nigeria where men and women can thrive equally…” He said since gender justice is not only a woman’s fight but for all humans, as women face daily struggles of inequality, exclusion and abuse, the body called on all men to rise to the challenge and protect women in all ramifications.
His words: “As we flag off this network today, l extend a heartfelt invitation to every man, young or old, rural or urban, political or traditional to join us in this journey of reflection and transformation. Let us be the generation of men remembered for choosing empathy over ego, respect over dominance, and justice over silence”. According to Ambassador Pastor Egedegbe, time has come for men to collaborate, defend and speak until every woman and girl in Nigeria live free, safe and equal life.