•Zainab Marwa
The founder of a non-governmental organization (NGO), Aspire Women Forum, Dr. Zainab Marwa, has said systemic gender inequality is one of the major causes of poverty among women in Nigeria, especially in the Northcentral.
Dr. Marwa said this in a paper, titled: The Intersectionality of Poverty and Gender in North Central Nigeria, she presented as the guest lecturer at the ninth distinguished public lecture of the Federal University in Lokoja, Kogi State.
The activist noted that despite several intervention programmes, poverty still persisted among women, reports The Nation.
“Imagine a land where resources are plentiful, yet the hands that toil hardest remain the most deprived. In the heart of Northcentral Nigeria, this paradox is the daily reality for millions of women. While the region is celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and abundant resources, its women are caught in the relentless grip of poverty working tirelessly but rarely reaping the rewards of their labour.
“These women don’t just face economic hardship; they endure a web of systemic inequalities that restrict their progress, dim their potential, and amplify their struggles,” she said.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (2020), 70 per cent of Nigerians below the poverty line are women. Northcentral Nigeria has a 57.3 per cent poverty rate among women, versus 45.5 per cent among men. Women face education barriers with 59.3 per cent literacy rate, compared to 74.4 per cent for men (UNDP, 2020). Only 21 per cent of women engage in paid employment (ILO, 2020). These statistics represent restricted opportunities and lost potential,” she said.
Dr. Marwa contextualised the challenges that make it difficult for women to break the cycle of poverty.
She said: “In predominantly Muslim areas, cultural norms may prioritise early marriage for girls, which can limit their educational opportunities. A woman from a rural community may face significant barriers to owning land due to traditional inheritance laws that favour male relatives.
“In urban settings, women from low-income backgrounds may struggle to access quality healthcare. Intersectionality encourages us to consider how gender, along with factors, like ethnicity, marital status, and location, affects a woman’s experience of poverty.
“For example, a widowed woman in a rural area faces different challenges than a married woman in a city, impacting their access to resources and risk of violence.”
