My journey to Rwanda underscored the possibility of rediscovering strength and hope following tragic circumstances. Visiting the Genocide Memorial exposed me to the painful history of the genocide. Witnessing the resilience of survivors ignited thoughts about how one can reclaim normalcy after devastation. This experience made me reflect on the situation in my home country Nigeria, and made me realize that in order to overcome challenges like the Boko Haram conflict we not only have to have the ability to overcome the adversity itself. We must also have the resilience and strength for the transformation that follows. That is what shapes the course of history.
In Rwanda, which experienced a devastating genocide in 1994, the role women played and continue to play in achieving sustainable peace, is undeniable. Their collaborative spirit and adept use of natural resources for local sustenance caught my attention and prompted me to contemplate parallels in my hometown and how we might surmount our current challenges.
In Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria, numerous capable and intelligent young women require a push to showcase their potential. Growing up in a patriarchal society, women and girls often face limiting stereotypes and restrictive practices. Advocating for gender equality or inclusive peace and security can lead to a strong backlash. This silences many, hindering progress and impacting our collective future
At a session at the Women Deliver Conference, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee noted that participation of women in gender equality movements is not only up to them. She highlighted in particular that:
“It is very important to collaborate with each other through mentorship and learning from other feminists. By introducing young women into the movement, helping them, supporting them, we are not only supporting the individuals - we are preventing further war.”
Turning to the future, Leymah Gbowee added:
“If you want to see change, be the change. For a better future, we must actively include three kinds of feminists: The first ones are those who can’t pay for air tickets to attend these conferences. The second ones are the older feminists who can challenge. And the third ones are the young people who use technology”.
I inevitably connected these words to the Nigerian context. The participation of women and girls from the northeastern part of Nigeria - the epicenter of Boko Haram’s violence - is lacking in gender transformative leadership, gender equality and women peace and security conferences, not because they don’t want to participate but because they likely don’t know they are happening, and can’t afford to buy air tickets to attend them. Women and girls from my region lack inclusion in countless spaces, and the skills they need to push for that inclusion and participation, resulting in a loss for both men and women in the region.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman said:
“As a woman who cares to bring about change, you must Believe in yourself. Believe in the ability to change. And believe in every right women could have.”
This is so true, but difficult to believe when you are facing violence. Women in northern Nigeria may seem to be vocal but in reality are not. There are a lot of young women who want to come out and talk on behalf of other women but the society they are living in does not allow them to do so. The backlash they face from men and sometimes even some women when they talk about gender equality is discouraging and, coupled with threats of the Boko Haram conflict even dangerous, and prevents them from speaking out.
And yet Borno State is a State of nature and culture, it is mainly agrarian with a huge deposit of mineral resources and it is the major source of freshwater, fish and rice in the country. The only state to border three foreign countries in Nigeria. It is also the principal trading hub for northeastern Nigeria. It is a state of opportunity. Sadly, women have lacked access to these opportunities. The insurgency has caused a rise in poverty because there’s disruption in livelihoods, high rates of gender-based violence, and forceful change of responsibilities from men to women in some cases, for so many men were lost to the conflict and women became single heads of many households as a result. Instead of gaining more hope with the additional responsibilities, women lose hope every day in trying to navigate what to do as a source of income, and often turn to others for support.
What I saw in Kigali, Rwanda was hope and strength for women all over the world. It was an eye opener for me that after every conflict or war, there’s still hope for better. If they can do it, we also could do it. In addition to my expectations from the trip, I also learned that no matter how hard you have failed, you still can wake up and move, and move even faster than before. You can also amplify the little strength you are left with and accumulate more strength than before.
Written by Fanna Abdu Muhammad.
Fanna Abdu Muhhamad is a humanitarian from Nigeria working across the thematic areas of Child Protection, Sexual Reproductive Health and Gender-Based Violence.
Fanna is one of the pioneers who launched the Zero Tolerance Village Alliance (ZTVA) Policy for GBV in IDP Camp in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. She believes in contextualization and localization because it simplifies identifying and responding to children with Child Protection concerns and the top needs of women and girls in Northeast Nigeria. She is a graduate of NWI’s sister-to-sister program, and she took part in NWI’s delegation to Rwanda.
Photos used in this article are by Kabarega Nkase Michel. See more photos from the delegation here.