MAINSTREAMING TRUE GENDER EQUALITY INTO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF VISION 20/2020

Abstract

The challenge of Gender Equality in Nigeria is really tough. This is probably because we are much on paperwork in this country but never put the doing into work. The task of including gender equality into national development is not guesswork. It requires a lot of planning and policymaking. However, this paper starts by taking a look at the etymology of the word Gender and postulating that "gender" means much more than just woman or sex. The paper

defines 'gender equality' as equality for all where one group of people are not preferred or discriminated over others, in the distribution of 'food, shelter, healthcare, education, job training and professional opportunities'. The paper then suggests that mainstreaming gender equality into mainstream policies of government is of great social and economic value to a transiting country like Nigeria. It is imperative that targeted policies be made so that every single Nigerian can contribute to national development regardless of their "gender". Since, simply put gender

mainstreaming is adapting gender equality into mainstream policies and systems; we need to re-invent our national policies and systems if we are going to achieve the national development goal of Vision 20/2020. Some suggestions were made like conducting gender impact assessments, national policy on gender equality, among others.