The subject is : TOPIC IN POLITICS: GENDER AND DEVELPOMENT - Essay Example

Political and cultural challenges have heightened the problem and the government and international bodies have a role in streamlining gender issues in this society. The development of the Nigerian society depends on the ability of the country to empower women in the society. Gender inequality in Nigeria is a topic that has attracted a lot of attention in the Nigerian society. The British Council (2012) provided statistics that showed that there is great a big gender gap in this country. The discriminative treatment of women in Nigeria is an issue that has dominated in the public through a long history of this country.

The traditional culture of Nigeria defines the gender role and responsibilities of women and men in this society. Nigeria has upheld a culture that promotes the development of men and prohibits the empowerment of women. Women are enrolled with domestic duties such as cooking, washing and child bearing (Igbuzor, 2000). On the other hand, men serve in superior positions in the society, have more access to education and employment in the formal sector. This culture continues to oppress women in the society.

Research shows that gender disparity in Nigeria is one of the worst in Africa. Despite the efforts of the millennium development goals to empower the women in developing countries, Nigeria has lagged behind and little has been done to achieve these goals (Opaluwah, 2007). Gender disparities in this country are manifested at various levels of the social structure. In education, it is clear that the society continues to invest in the education of male child while the female child remains at home to take up domestic responsibilities.

30% of women between the age of 20 and 24 years have not received education and the completion rate of secondary education is 27.4% for females compared to 40% of men. Also, statistics indicate that the female children often drop out of school due to