LAGOS – A women’s rights activist, Mrs. Shola Alamutu has said that women needed to be educated and enlightened to be able to agitate for the enforcement of their rights.
The activist told newsmen in Lagos that it was important to enlighten the woman because many women were still unaware of their rights to certain privileges in the society.
According to Alamutu, who is the founder of Notable Wo-Men of the Centenary, a Non-Governmental Organisation, it is for this reason that women often fall victims of human rights abuse.
“I believe that if you enforce any rights in the first place, the people whose rights you are agitating for ought to know that they actually have rights.
“There is need for education, enlightenment and sensitisation of the women involved wherever they are.
“And I believe that the women themselves need to be in the fore-front of this campaigning for their rights which does not happen often.
“I also realise that a lot of the women are so bent on keeping their tradition that it becomes difficult for people who really feel strongly against this abuse of their rights to actually do anything about it.
“That is why I said we have to start with the women themselves who are victims of this abuse. “
The activist said it was unfortunate that many women lacked the confidence to make their opinions public and to assume positions of authority in the society.