By NAN
Prof. Sarah Anyanwu, a don with the University of Abuja, has called on women to take up the teaching profession, to serve as role models for female students in tertiary institutions.
Anyanwu made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
She said it was not encouraging that the number of female lecturers in tertiary institutions across the country was low.
She said having women lecturers in tertiary institutions would encourage younger women to believe in themselves and achieve any feat they desired.
“It is important that more women go into lecturing in tertiary institutions across the country, as this will serve as a boost for the younger generation.
“Presently, what is obtainable now is that we have less than five per cent female lecturers in tertiary institutions, younger women need to have role models to look up to.” Anyanwu said that power imbalance between men and women promoted discrimination against women in tertiary institutions.
The don, however, advised on the need for the creation of gender study departments in all tertiary institutions, to broaden views and awareness on women issues.
On gender-based violence, Anyanwu said relative powerlessness of women, cultism, poverty and social-cultural issues were factors promoting such in tertiary institutions.
According to her, gender-based violence is not peculiar to Nigeria alone but a global phenomenon and called for policies to address the issue.
