It’s Zero Discrimination Day.
March 1 is set aside to celebrate the right of everyone to live full and productive lives with dignity. The theme for this year’s celebration is: ‘Remove laws that harm, create laws that empower’.
As Nigeria’s front line gender-based organisation, we are focused on protecting the rights of women and girls to live healthy, full and productive lives with dignity regardless of their health, financial or social status.
This commitment is visible in our recent intervention to end the scourge of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria through the Collaboration, Advocacy, Awareness and Protection Project (#TheCAAPproject).
Over the years, we have discovered that the sexual and gender based violence has become one of the biggest factors limiting women from living dignified lives and achieving their full potentials. We are committed to ending this menace.
Additionally, we are focusing on getting more women and youths into elective positions, creating awareness on climate change and how it affects women, fighting early girl child marriage while promoting their access to quality education.
Finally, we condemn a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja that forbids unmarried police women from becoming pregnant.
The regulation provides that “an unmarried woman police officer, who becomes pregnant, shall be discharged from the Force and shall not be re-enlisted except with the approval of the Inspector-General of Police”. Nothing is said of male police officers who impregnate another woman. This law takes away tma woman’s power over her body and hands same to the state. This is unjust. We condemn this state-sanctioned sexism against female police officers.
Taking one community after another, we are committed to creating a world that is safe for women and girls to live and thrive.
We say ‘No’ to all forms of discrimination against women and girls.
#ZeroDiscriminationDay
Ndi Kato
Executive Director, Dinidari Africa