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MATERNAL MORTALITY AND NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT

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MATERNAL MORTALITY AND NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT

“We have not placed the issue of women and children at the center of our heart. There is no attention given to them despite the fact that they are asset to us. With out their good health, we don’t have future. The issues of mother and child are linked and we are failing to scale up high impact contribution that can save lives of mothers and children.”
- Dr. Tunde Adegboyega
Consultant WHO

It was on the evening of Sunday 8th of January 2009, while reading some past newspapers; I came across a report on maternal mortality on thisday newspaper of July 7th 2008, written by Taiwo Olawole. The report came with frightening and very disturbing figures concerning the rate of maternal death in the country which made me to voice out my mind concerning the subject matter and also offer some advises to both the state and federal government. The report revealed that Nigeria is the second highest in the world in terms of maternal death with 59,000, and India is occupying the first position with 117,000 deaths annually. The reporter went on to argue that Nigeria shouldn’t supposed to be ranked second instead should be ranked first, because he argued that the whole of Nigeria’s population constitute only 10% of India’s population. He further argued and I quote “India actually improved between 2000 and 2005. In 2000, India’s maternal deaths were 136,000. It was this figure that dropped to 117,000 in 2005. On the other hand, Nigeria’s 37,000 deaths in 2000 rose to 59,000 in 2005! So, place within the right context, Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate is perhaps the most dangerously high in the world.” Looking at the argument of the reporter, I think he is absolutely right and Nigeria should be ranked first not second.
After reading the report, the questions that come to my mind were: where are the policy makers? Did they really know what is happening? How about the promises they made while campaigning I mean the seven point agenda? Or did any of their relatives fall within the people that are dying annually? My answer to these questions are: they knew what is happening, only though, they have forgotten all the promises they made while campaigning, and perhaps I don’t think their relatives are dying of maternal problems. Though the report said states like Kano has already taken a step and went on to argue that “Interestingly, the Kano state free antenatal care which is now a model for some states, is not affecting the quality of services at government Hospitals.” The reporter also said “after the seemingly success story of kano state in reducing maternal and child mortality, some states have come to emulate the concept.” States like Nassarawa, Borno, Enugu, Rivers, Ebonyi and recently Kaduna have introduced various degrees of free medical facilities for pregnant women as well as for children which is a step on a right direction, even though there are complains of inadequate medical facilities, thanks to their effort and hope they will continue to do more so as to ensure that their efforts are sustained. I am also calling the attention of other states to copy from their brothers because the situation is very disturbing and needs urgent attention. Now that states has started making impact by providing antenatal care, Federal government should also do the same and provide free medical treatment for pregnant women and children, and to also collaborate with states, civil society organizations, donor agencies, so as to reversed the trend. Failure to do that will instead worsen the situation. For me, neglecting women and children is the greatest mistake any society can make, because they are our future and we have no option other than to take good care of them, and I am sure you knew that. Please am appealing to you lets all stand up and do some thing, remember united we stand divided we fall.

NURA IRO MA’AJI
SYAHD, KANO STATE, NIGERIA
nuramaaji@gmail.com
2348032601697


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Divorcees and Northern Governors In Nigeria

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DIVORCEES AND NORTHERN GOVERNORS


“Success in marriage does not come merely from finding the right mate, but by being the right mate”.
Barnett R. Barker

Generally, most men do not care about spending time in finding the right mate before getting married, not to even talk about being the right the mate after getting in to the institution, they rather demand and expect more from the institution instead of thinking what the institution will require from them. Revelations from the report written by Hassan A. Karofi in Sunday Trust News paper of December 28, 2008, did not only show the crises bedeviling the institution of marriage in kano state, but also gave us a picture in to the current condition of women divorcees in the state and also the possibility of finding same situation in other part of the northern region. The report argued that, there are about 20,000 women divorcees in kano alone, and 15,000 thousand of them are attending activities of just one association called Voice of Women Divorcees, and this association complain of not getting any support from Kano sate government or even any of the international donor agencies. This is perhaps an unfortunate and disturbing situation.
In 2004, population council Nigeria office, made a survey and reported that about 50 percent of marriages in northern Nigeria are at an average age of 15, and the worst thing is that, these girls have limited educational attainment with no economic empowerment skills. What am saying is that, this situation deserves urgent attention in the whole entire northern states not just kano state. Though, kano state government has stated taking steps towards empowering the divorcees in the state, I am perssonally advising the whole entire northern state governors to make a survey in their various states concerning the rate of divorce and condition upon which divorcees are experiencing.
More Over, am also advising the governors to incorporate Non Governmental Organizations with focus on women’s issues, so as for you to find it easier in empowering the divorcees. Invitations should also be extended to international donor agencies so as for them to make their own input. Programs that will further educate people on issues related to marriage both from religious point of view and any other way through which people can understand the message and Legislations that will check mate the situation should also be put in place.

NURA IRO MAAJI
SYAHD, KANO STATE
nuramaaji@gmail.com
+2348032601697


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WOMEN AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA

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BETWEEN WOMEN AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA

One of the reasons why democracy is generally believe to be the best form of governance in the world today, is because it carries people along in respective of their gender, ethnicity, and skin color. Ideally and practically, democracy is about Good governance, and good governance is about being responsible, and being responsible is about being accountable to the people for the purpose of bringing about positive societal development. As a system of governance it has also preaches for the accommodation of everybody in the process of bringing positive development.
While some nation states have succeeded in accommodating their people in respective of their gender, to bring about more positive development, others are yet to, because of their inability to answer the call made by democracy as a global system of governance. Beside, Nigeria is also yet to answer the call. This is because as Gender Electoral and Reform Memoranda Committee (GEM), 2008 argued, though women constitute 49% of Nigeria’s population, but they only constitute 9% of the number of persons in the senate, 9.27% of the number in the House of Representatives, 16.6% of the Deputy Governorship positions, 5.45% of the State House of Assembly and 0% of Governorship and Presidential elective officers.
Furthermore, it is very clear from the above mentioned figures that Nigeria’s women have for long been marginalized by men in political process. The question now is, why? In my own opinion, men have succeeded in turning Nigeria ’s political atmosphere to a volatile one, which is characterized by thuggery, assassination, total absent of internal party democracy etc. finally I am convince that a step has already been taken by Gender Electoral and Reform Memoranda Committee (GEM), Coalition for Change (C4C), Women Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and other Non-governmental Organizations across Nigeria, to make sure that these imbalances politically did not continue to prevail in Nigeria’s political process, by making submission at Abuja sitting of Nigeria’s Electoral Reform hearing on 24th of June 2008. Secondly, I think government itself has to make sure that the recommendations are been taken into consideration. Besides, I think is time for all of us to stand up and make sure that the voice of Nigerian women are heard in the Nigeria’s decision making process.
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria
Long live Nigerian Women
Nura Iro Maaji
Society for Youth Awareness and Health Development (SYAHD), Kano State, Nigeria
+2348025699001
nuramaaji@gmail.com



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