Gender: A Precursor for Discriminating Against Women in Paid Employment in Nigeria.

Abstract

Since the proclamation of 1975-1985 (as the UN decade for women) increasing awareness and attention has been focused on discrimination of women. Several national and international constitutions and the United Nations declaration on discrimination against women have been used to address and suppress unequal power relations between men and women. Despite all these initiatives, research evidence has still shown that these constitutions theoretical commitments and acknowledgment of women’s crucial roles remained trivialized. In Nigeria, during the pre-colonial era, gender inequality and marginalisation came from the premise that women occupied a position complementary rather subordinate to men. Such complimentary position does not mean equality, but rather, that women can equally play important roles in the society successfully. Despite all the initiatives aimed at eradicating the discrimination of women in paid employment, evidence is still showing that these constitutions theoretical commitments and acknowledgment of women’s crucial roles remained violated and perniciously undermined, therefore more awareness will help address the problem).