The word ‘freedom’ is not as gender neutral as many are making us to believe for in today’s patriachial world not everyone is free. In fact, like George Orwell opined in his famous book, Animal Farm: all humans are free today but some are freer than the other.
Indeed, women have for a long time being battling to survive amidst so many men imposed restrictions, cultural, social, religious and traditional , which the women were never part of their making. Yet, they have willingly submitted to the dictates of these draconian restrictions for the sake of keeping their homes and families. What a great sacrifice!
This edition of YouthSpeak is therefore dedicated to women and girls all over the world for their various suferings caused by men imposed rules in the name of diverse restrictions and practices such as female genital mutilation, forced veil, among others. The appreciable successes recorded so far in the process of liberating these women have shown that there is hope; a hope that must be doggedly followed through. Indeed, we see light at the end of the turnel; hence there no need to give up now.
Women rights are surely human rights, and must be advocated for basically on that premise.
Onward!
Yemi Ademowo Johnson
Editor