LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – On March 8 every year, people worldwide unite to honour women’s accomplishments and dedication to empowerment and equality on International Women’s Day (IWD).
This year’s focus is “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”
In this special interview with Tanko Lami of Voiceofnaija.ng, Founder Women’ Rights and Health Project, WRAHP, Mrs. Bose Ironsi, talks about how she feels being among the 20 women who were recently celebrated by Women Radio, WFM 91.7 as trailblazers in amplifying the voices of women.
She also emphasised the importance of investing in women as a way to address economic inequality, how cultural belief system has hindered women growth, amongst others.
How Do You Feel Being Celebrated?
“I feel so excited and happy about it. It shows that people are watching and recognizing what we are doing. The celebration is not just about me but for the whole staff and board members and founders that have believed in our visions and missions and also the beneficiaries who see us as people that they can speak to. It shows that we did not make a mistake establishing this platform.“
Is This the First Time Women Radio Is Celebrating You?
“Yes, although if any woman is celebrated in any form, I feel I am also celebrated as long as it is positive, but this one is just something about Bose Ironsi.”
What Drives You To Support Women?
“First, I am a woman, and I live in a community where I see what women go through, and also my personal experience. I always have this feeling that I am not doing enough and I should do more. It is not easy but I see it as a challenge and that the work has to be done; you just need to give somebody your shoulders to lean on and if someone leans on your shoulder you are happy that someone considers your shoulder good enough to lean on. For me, it is fulfilling, and it is a driving force.”
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“And I also envisaged a better society that respects everybody regardless of your sex or social status and of course that is what is making me work with the grassroots women because you are a human first before any other thing.”
What Advice Would You Give To Other Women Who Want To Make A Difference In Their Communities?
“First, I would say that they need to state their vision clearly. Yes, it is good to be passionate, but let your vision be clear and work towards getting that vision solved. It gets you ready for any challenges to come.”
“If you look at Toun Sonaiya who established the first female radio in Nigeria, it did not come easy in the midst of men, but look at her today she has carved a niche for herself.”
“So always be positive and believe challenges will come but you should see opportunities in those challenges. And also be ready to serve people and be accountable to them. People wonder how I can pick up my phone and call on anyone in the community I serve. I have this leverage because I am open and free to them, so they are with me.“
Who Are Your Supporters, And Who Has Been Instrumental In Your Success?
“My family supports me a lot; my friends and the communities themselves when you want to give up, they tell you it has not ended. And also the funders have a lot of trust in us. It is a plus and when I see the passion my staff and colleagues put in driving the vision it is very encouraging and I see the doggedness in trying to solve problems it motivates me.“
What Challenges Do You Face In Your Work?
“Several challenges, one of them is the issue of empowering women, especially when it comes to issues about conflict between partners (domestic violence”.
“Some people feel that as a wife you should take it; also how to change the cultural belief system and the mindset of people to believe that she is a human first before a wife. “
The second challenge is the outcome of those conflicts; the innocent children that end up victims of marriage conflict.
“And also resources are very slim and I sacrifice a lot to make sure we achieve what we have, it takes only people and organisations who believe in women like African women development fund, action aids, etc to believe in what we are doing and treat it as a developmental issue.”
“Another challenge, although I don’t see it as one, is that sometimes you have built the capacity of your staff and they move on so you have to start all over again. It is a plus I need to stress that because they end up being ambassadors in other places. Also, government structures are not helping matters of corruption or interest within those spaces. The whole essence is for people to get justice but if along the line people are not getting justice or it is being delayed for no reason and when people are not being pragmatic in dealing with issues could be very frustrating.”
“And of course it is energy sapping trying to change narratives; struggling between the cultural and societal norms but I am happy that after 30 years I have been in this process I can look back and say I have touched these people’s lives one way or the other.”
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What Does The Future Of Women’s Rights Look Like To You?
“We have moved from where we are before, and for the future, we need to work harder. Firstly, the government should have a good political will to address the issues that affect women and put the right people in the right places to address women issues. “
“Political issues open doors for women to be in places of decision making and be able to make decisions that affect them . How can a man talk about pregnancy when he has never been pregnant before? He does not know the symptoms or the pain. we need to be at the table of decision-making“
What Are Your Future Goals For Your Organisation?
“Wow! My goal is to bring more people who can expand on the vision and take it to a higher place. I have a baby, I am nurturing; Ireti Resource Centre. I am looking forward to an opportunity where that centre would be a safe haven for women who are in distress. There are a lot of issues to be considered, such as mental health.”
“So I am looking at a future where women thrive, where the young girl is happy to move from one point to another without being afraid of being abused because she is a woman. I am looking at a future where families and communities respect women and girls.”
“I am looking at a future where women will occupy positions of authority in this country and then it would be 50/50 opportunities for women and men if not more than for women because we have been on the receiving end for a long time.”
“I am looking at a future where we prioritise the issues that affect women although not neglecting the men, so I am looking at a society where women are able to participate in the decisions that affect the country.“
What Message Do You Have For Women On International Womens’ Day
“First, I want to tell women to always be happy. Things will get better. Let us continuously re-strategize to be at the point of decision making.“
“We shouldn’t lose hope. We know that the country is hard but there are a lot of good things coming our way.“