Are Women Prejudiced Against Themselves? Journalists’ Advocacy for Gender Inclusiveness for Improved Food Security

Abstract

In Nigeria and indeed other less developed nations, women play an invaluable role in an effort towards ensuring food security. A greater percentage of farmers especially at the subsistence levels are women. Despite the patriarchal system that places them in a disadvantaged position, they toil to feed their families and indeed, the nation. Unfortunately, hardly is this role recognized as they suffer different forms of marginalization in the society they invest so much to feed. As they struggle to emancipate themselves from the patriarchal system that derails their potentials towards food security, they face different forms of blackmail. It is common to hear comments such as “Women do not love themselves” “Women are enemies to themselves,” “Women hate themselves,” “Women prefer to be men,” “Women do not support fellow women,” etc. The findings according to views expressed through a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with selected women leaders from 14 Local Government Areas in the state show that arriving at such a conclusion remains a fallacy aimed at blackmailing women. The findings presented through the explanation building techniques show that those assertions are defense mechanisms put up by men to shift the blame of the patriarchal system to women to either dwarf or derail the efforts of female gender advocates fighting for gender equality. The authors therefore recommended an intensified media campaign to counter this false narration and the recognition of the substantial efforts of women towards food security in different societies.