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| Hello friend, Did you know that on August 7, 2024, Iraq’s parliament took its first step towards lowering the minimum age of marriage for girls from 15 to 9, based on Sharia law? This decision highlights how the rights of women and girls are rapidly regressing, despite efforts to achieve gender equality worldwide. It seems that for every step forward we take, there are plans to push women’s and girls’ rights ten steps backwards. Various reports, including those from UNICEF, emphasize how child marriage compromises the future of girls and prevents them from becoming empowered adults. This act strips girls of their autonomy and exposes them to potential lifelong abuse and exploitation. Studies show that girls who marry before the age of 18 often drop out of school, limiting their educational and economic opportunities. They face increased health risks, including complications from early pregnancy and childbirth. Furthermore, these young brides are more vulnerable to domestic violence and have limited decision-making power within their marriages.  Despite this, an estimated 650 million girls worldwide are still married off to men. In Nigeria, some states permit men to marry girls as young as 11. Recently, Niger State sparked nationwide outrage by marrying off orphaned girls to men, some twice or thrice their age. This situation persists despite Nigeria’s commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines child marriage as a serious violation of children’s rights. Furthermore, it contravenes the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which Nigeria has ratified. Now more than ever, we must unite to protect and advance the rights of women and girls, not just in Nigeria but in every part of the world. At Naija Feminists Media, we are committed to raising awareness about these issues and partnering with organisations to drive sustainable change. We urge you to do the same and use your platform to advocate for girls’ rights today. With love, strength, and glitter,The Naija Feminists Community. |
 Transgenderism is the only form of misogyny that seeks to redefine women By: Tobiloba Akanni Suppose you have been a keen observer of the transgenderism discourse; you can tell that there has been nothing as acrimonious and ideologically divisive as ‘the trans wars‘, probably since the sex wars of the 1970s and 80s in the global feminist community. So, what do Nigerian feminists have against transgenderism? The answer lies in a word as old as time: crushing casual misogyny. Transgenderism is the only form of misogyny that seeks to erase womanhood through a redefinition of all that pertains to being female and a realignment of the materiality of women being adult human females. Misogyny manifests in both beliefs and actions that feed into each other, creating an overarching social structure of male oppression against women. While it is acceptable to dispense with derogatory words associated with women and even reject misogynistic ideas, it is not acceptable to attempt to redefine phrases associated with women’s reality. We can do away with words like “slut,” but not the word “mum.” Clothes can be neutral and free for all to wear, but pregnancy is not something everyone is capable of, regardless of their sex. Everyone has a brain, but not everyone has a vagina. As such, showing solidarity with the trans movement would mean joining forces to deny the existence of adult human females (women) as a unique class on its own. Read full insight on why transgenderism is an oppressive ideology that alienates women’s rights. |
 We were present at the unveiling of the Femicide Observatory on August 15, 2024, at Gbagada, Lagos, by our partner organisation–DOHS Cares Foundation. The observatory dashboard displays cases of femicide and its dynamics and live reporting format for citizens. It further honors the victims of femicide in Nigeria. So far, in the first half of 2024, Nigeria has recorded 46 femicides. |
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 Ini Dima Okojie is granting 80 women between the ages of 25 and 45 who reside in Lagos, Abuja, and Calabar free fibroid scans. Check Ini’s circle for details.The Margaret McNamara Education Grants offers scholarships for women aged 25 or over studying in the US, Canada, or selected South African and Latin American universities. Learn more here.If you are a female student interested in learning online safety tips, join Tech Her’s virtual training on online gender-based violence here.Volunteer positions as Project Manager & Grants Manager are available at Naija Feminists Media. Mail: naijafeminists@gmail.com |
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