Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today called on Federal and State Governments to take measures to address various challenges in the information ecosystem, which impede access to information and the full enjoyment of the right to information by women in Nigeria, arguing that no meaningful progress can be achieved for Nigerian women while the gates to public information remain locked against them by bureaucratic secrecy and other barriers.
In a statement issued in Lagos on the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), Ms Ayomide Eweje, a Programme Officer at MRA, argued that “Access to information is not just a legal right but serves as a critical tool for survival, empowerment and equality for women as it enables them to make informed decisions, exercise and claim their rights, and participate fully in social, economic, and political life.”
She explained that access to information is a vital factor in improving the socio-economic status of women, allowing them to contribute effectively to the economy.
According to her, “Digital access and information also allow women to leverage tools for entrepreneurship, financial growth, and networking. Information is necessary for women to secure credit for small businesses and manage economic resources while information networks can bridge the gap for rural women who are often excluded from economic opportunities due to a lack of infrastructure, access to knowledge and other challenges.”
Ms Eweje argued that on the health front, information is essential for women to make informed decisions about their bodies and health as access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare services, which comes with information and knowledge, empowers women to ensure safe childbirth and reduce maternal mortality while awareness of modern family planning methods helps prevent unsafe abortions and sexually transmitted infections.
She noted that without access to information, women cannot participate fully in the democratic processes of the country as access to information allows women to contribute to debates on socio-economic developments and matters; demand accountability for the provision of public services, such as healthcare; make informed choices during elections; and participate in all other aspects of governance.
Ms Eweje contended that information enables survivors of abuses to know and understand how to report crimes, access post-rape care, and obtain legal aid while digital literacy and information about digital rights are increasingly necessary to protect women from technology-facilitated violence, such as cyberbullying and deepfakes, particularly when the digital space, which is the primary medium for accessing information in the digital era, is becoming increasingly hostile for women.
She said: “From technology-facilitated gender-based violence to the coordinated mobbing of female journalists and civil society activists online and in other digital spaces, the digital world is increasingly being weaponized to silence female voices, creating a chilling effect as many women withdraw from online discourse, further limiting their access to vital information and their ability to hold governments accountable.”
Lamenting that despite its importance, many Nigerian women are facing significant barriers to accessing information, Ms Eweje called on the Federal Government, including the National Assembly, as well as State Governments to adopt measures to address challenges and barriers to the full realization of the information rights of women.
Specifically, she urged them to ensure the collection and availability of gender-disaggregated data such that public institutions are proactively disclosing data that reflects the specific experiences of women and responds to their needs, particularly in sectors like agriculture, health, and education, among others.
Besides, Ms Eweje said, the Government as well as security and law enforcement agencies should protect the “digital frontline” by ensuring the prosecution of those who use digital tools to harass and silence women, while the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended, should also be used for protection rather than the suppression of dissent.
She noted that MRA remained committed to the fight for an open society where every Nigerian woman can exercise her right to know, to speak, and to lead without fear of harassment or the barriers of secrecy.