WEDNESDAY, March 8, 2023 was celebrated all over the world as the International Women’s Day, IWD. Some romantically refer to the female gender as “the better half” of mankind. This is mere flatter because in practice, most cultures abnegate the position of women in society.

From human antiquity, societies grew on the primitive concept of “might is right” and the “survival of the fittest”. Because the males with their superior physical might fought wars and led expeditions and forded out the world as we know it, men took over control of families and kingdoms. 

They made the laws and rules, and always put themselves first while in many cases relegating the female folk, who are their mothers, wives, sisters, aunts, and lovers.

With modern advancements, especially in education and the improvements in the inclusion of women in education, our female folk have come to demonstrate that whatever the men can do, they can also do, sometimes even better than some men. This truth upsets some men who feel their special privilege is under threat.

But it needs not be so. Inclusion is always best. It is impossible to clap with one hand. The two hands must be fully activated for the clap to be resounding. This is what informs the theme for this year’s IWD as defined by the United Nations: DIGITALL – Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.

It is an established fact that 37 per cent of the world’s females do not have internet access. They are also behind the men in digital knowledge, but not for any fault of theirs. Most traditional societies have not prioritised female education. In Nigeria, the girl-child takes the lion’s share of our over 20 million “Out of School Children”, especially in the North. Pubescent girls are either married off due to cultural demands or sent out to hawk. Unfortunately, it is the children of the downtrodden that this affects most. The elite never discriminate in educating their children.

We affirm that it is the duty of the leadership at all levels and every sector to recalibrate governance to give every citizen the right to education irrespective of gender or social class. All sectors of the country must be equally liberated to enhance the growth of our country and society.

In this digital age, mental abilities, not gender, should dictate the choice of leadership in all spheres. Might is no longer right, except the might of the intellect. We must moderate our cultural fashions to accommodate full gender inclusion while not upsetting the traditional roles of the genders which make for stable and healthy families and societies.

In this digital age, nobody should be left behind. The place of women, as equal partners with the men for the advancement of society, has come to stay.