By Bida Elly David
A female mentor yesterday invigorated women towards building careers in profit making businesses rather than be animated as marital objects and family rubber stamps for conception.
This development arose during a mentorship session for married women and school girls at Hai Lokwilili extension.
Speaking during the discussion, Mama Rejoice Gire, a senior community mentor specialised on education mentorship and family matters and urged men to exempt the culture of using women as conjugal tools but rather give them chances of attaining business skills in various areas.
She pointed out that earlier in most African societies, women after being married were only subjected to produce and take care of children without considering their careers and skills development.
Rejoice pointed out that the mind-set of exempting women from jobs without exercising their business skills was an act against female rights and a passive traditional perception.
“The traditional concept men use for exempting married women from attaining courses that would provide income to the family is a human rights violation and a way of creating gender-based violence. Communities of these believe that a woman’s work place is the kitchen which is completely passive” Gire said.
Furthermore, Mama Rejoice underscored that men’s mind-set should not drive women away from economic activities but rather pave ways for them to prosper.
However, she pointed out that some people have taken the concept that most women working in bars, hotels, restaurants as well as in the market as prostitutes.
“Men’s mind-set should not drive women away from economic activities but rather pave ways for them to prosper. Some people have taken the concept that most women working in bars, hotels, restaurants as well as in the markets are prostitutes,” she said.
She urged women to open their minds towards doing income generating jobs and businesses to support their families.