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WORDOC/IFRA MONTHLY SEMINAR (November Edi�on)THEME: HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN NIGERIA

thOn 30 of November 2017, the Women's Research and Documentaton Center (WORDOC) in collabora�onwith Inss�tuFranḉais de Recherche en Afrique (IFRA), convened the November edi�onof WORDOC-IFRA seminar on “Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploita�onin Nigeria.” Following welcome addresses from Dr Sharon Omotoso (Coordinator, WORDOC) and Dr. Elodie Apard (Director, IFRA) the seminar had Mrs. Precious Ighoroje, Mrs. Modupe Adeleye, Dr. Monica Akokuwebe, Mrs. Iziengbe Omoregie, and Dr. Coren�n Cohen as speakers. The various resource persons spoke on many topics bordering on the issue of human trafficking in Nigeria.Being a presenta�on of academic research and fieldworks on the experiences of viccms of trafficking in persons, there was a consensus by the researchers that Edo State, in the South-south geopoli�cal zone of Nigeria, is one if not the most affected state in the country when the issue of

human trafficking is discussed. The scholars also identfied new dimensions in the study. They maintained that there is the issue of gender gap in the exis�ngknowledge of the paaern and d vic� of the modern slave trade called 'human trafficking' as it is commonly believed that the victms of trafficking in persons are always only women and girls. It was observed that most scholarship regard women as vic�ms and men as the promoters of illegal business of human trafficking. Hence, they pointed out that there was a gender flow in the whole process of trafficking as both men and women can be vic�m as well as perpetrators. The dimensions of trafficking in persons were iden�fied to include both internal and interna�onal dimensions. The desire for greener pasture was said to have cons�tued the major push factor among others. However, the scholars submited that the unfortunate vic�ms are o�en forced into drug trafficking and prosos�tut on arrival at des des�na�on. Other forms of exploita�on across gender line were also iden�fied.

WORDOC News News

Paper presenta�ons during

the seminar on Human Trafficking

and sexual exploita�on in Nigeria

Audience session during the seminar on

Human Trafficking and sexual

exploita�on in Nigeria

WORDOC Librarian a�ending to the University Librarian Dr Helen O. Komolafe-Opadeji;

WORDOC Coordinator a�ending to the University's Vice Chancellor, Prof. A I. Olayinka

flanked by The Orangun of Oke Ila Oba Adedokun Abolarin

women o�en succeded poverty as women go through all means to provide their needs.” She also suggested solu�ons to ending food insecurity in Nigeria, which are: rural infrastructure and agro-industrial development, gender equality, government policy and full par�cipa�on in agriculture by all. She emphasized that, “Agriculture is meant to be prac�ced by everyone irrrespecte of sex.” Thus, both male and female can engage in produc�on, packaging, transporta�on, mechaniza�on, storage, agricultural input supply, marke�ng of processed products locally and interna�onal. Also present at the seminar was Professor Bolanle Awe, the founding chairperson of WORDOC, who appreciated the impac�ul presenta�on and urged the farmers to u�lize every knowledge gained from the programme. There was also the session of comments and reac�ons from the farmers present. Most of them complained of inadequate funds, environmental pollu�on and solicited for government interven�ons.

In contributng to the achievement of 'zero hunger' in Sustainable Development Goals, the Women's Research and Documenta�onCenter

(WORDOC) in collabora�on with Ins�tute Franḉais de

Recherche en Afrique (IFRA), held the february edi�on of the monthly seminar on the topic “Gender and Food Security.The Role of Agricultural Science” on the 20th of February 2018 at Lady Bank Anthony Hall, University of Ibadan.

The seminar, in furtherance of the annual Seminar theme; 'Women and Insecuri�es'created learning and interac�on pla�orm for both academics and farmers. The event which a�acted a large audience from town discussed the relatonship between gender and food security. Dr. Sharon Omotoso, Coordinator of WORDOC and Dr. Elodie Apard, Director of IFRA both coordinated the programme, while Alhaji S. A. Imam chairman, Agricutural Development farms Associa�on(OYSADEP farms)the event. Dr. Sifau Adejumo, the seminar presenter who spoke

extensively on the importance of agriculture to human existence and sustenance, highlighted the reasons for food insecurity in Nigeria, especially among the masses. These are gender inequality, diversion from agriculture to oil as the na�onal source of income, migra�on, poor agricultural prac�ces, popula�on increase, environment issues, corrup�on and insecurity.Meanwhile, Dr. Adejumo appreciated the silent contributons of women to the economic development of their homes and country at large. She affirmed that, “poorer households headed by

WORDOC/IFRA MONTHLY SEMINAR (February Edition)

THEME: Gender and Food Security: The Role of Agricultural Scientists

Dr. Sifau Adejumo delivering her paper

Professor Bolanle Awe speaking at the event

A cross session of the event

rofessor Olufunmilayo Olorun�mehin was born over 7 decades ago in Maiduguri to Mr. P& Mrs. Jacobson From Ikole-Eki�, Southwest Nigeria. She a�ended the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife between 1963 and 1966 where she

obtained her B.Sc. (Economics) and the University of Ibadan of Ibadan for her M.Sc.(Sociology) 1969

Her area of specializa�on is the Sociological Field of Criminology and she has a good number of publica�ons to her credit in this regard. Professor Olorun�mehin is a member of several professional bodies including the Nigerian Anthropological and Sociological Associa�on,the Nigerian Society of Criminology, the Internaa�onaSociological Associa�onand the Internaa�onaSociety for Criminology.

Professor Olorun�mehin's services at na�onal and interna�onal levels are also enviable. Some of these include being a member, Ondo State Economic Advisory Council (1977-1979); Ondo State University Governing Council (1982-1984); Juvenile Court Panel of Oyo State (1983-1984) and as Vice President, the Commitee on Deviance and Social Control of the Interna�onal Sociologi al Associaa�on (1978-1982).She has sved as a consultant to several na�onal and internaa�onaorganizaza� in the course of her academic career including Na�onalWomen Commission for Research on Widowhood Prac�ce in Nigeria and World Health Organiza�onfor Research on Women and Substance Abuse in Nigeria. This great erudite professor has quite a number of academic and non-academic awards to her credit. She was awarded the Federal Government Scholarship to earn first degree and won a fellowship that enabled her to work at the Interna�onal Centre for Comparaate Criminology in Montreal, Canada in 1971. She became a fellow of the Interna�onal Biographical Associa�on, Cambridge, England in 1984 and Life Fellow of the same Associa�on in 1985.

As a result of her outstanding academic contribu�ons and her concern for humanity, Professor Olorun�mehin's name has appeared in many biographical publicaa�onsSome of these include: Who is Who in African; World's Men and Women of Dis�nc�onsInternana�onWho is Who among Intellectuals; American Interna�onalBook of Honor and Five Hundred Leaders of Influence.

As a founding member of WORDOC, Prof Olorun�mehin was one of the very few who came frequently from Ile-Ife to organize and par�cipate in WORDOC's programs. She is a dynamic member of the Organizing Commitee and a role-model to younger women.She is a devoted and faithful wife, a caring mother and a devout Chris�an. She also par�cipated ac�vely in the 30th Anniversary celebra�on and remains commi�ed to the cause of women.

WORDOC FOUNDING

FELLOW

COMMUNIQUÉTHTHE 30 ANNIVERSARY EVENTS OF WOMEN'S RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION CENTER (WORDOC),

INSTITUTE OF AFRICAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF IBADANPREAMBLEAT THE 2-DAY ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE AND VILLAGE SQUARE MEETING OF WORDOC HELD ON THE

TH TH18 - 19 OCTOBER, 2017, THE THEME: '30 YEARS ON: WHAT DO WOMEN WANT, WHAT SHOULD WOMEN WANT' WAS ANALYSED, REFLECTED UPON BY BOTH ACADEMICS AND GRASSROOT WOMEN. THIS COMMUNIQUE IS ISSUED ON THE BASIS OF THE DISCUSSIONS.

HEREBY TAKE NOTE THAT:· Without illogical generaliza�on, women's wants have gone through strong dynamisms since the

end of the 1975-1985 Women's Decade.· African women have experienced significant trransi�ons in all spheres, due largely to social,

poli�al and economic factors.· A sense of inequality among women could hamper collabora�ve processes towards women-

focused goals· While some of these transi�ons are posi�ve, there’s s�ll exist malignant issues joining force with

emergent issues to produce nega�ve trends which militate against women's welfare in Africa.

· Some of the posi�ve transi�ons are:

Improved awareness on gender issues within local communi�es- A rela�vely improved a�tude towards girl-child educa�on- Rela�ve improvement in women leadership, career development and poli�cal awareness- Establishment of community development projects to alleviate poverty.- Improved women's economic empowerment amidst strong feminized poverty.

· Some of the challenges include:- Increasing exploita�on condi�ons- Confinement of rural women to the grassroots due to tradi�on and low level of literacy- Seclusion of women from issues of governance, despite the absence of laws banning the

involvement of Nigerian women in poli�cal affairs.- Girl-child marriage- Cultural prac�ces and esstric�ons- Child trafficking, mostly resul�ng from low finance in the families of the trafficked child- Most prisons are not constructed gender sensi�vely. They are usually built to suit men, whereas

women are also inmates in most of such prisons. - Pregnant women and inmates with babies do not have facili�es to take care of themselves- In academic ins�tu�ons, female students are s�ll molested and harassed by male lecturers and

colleagues.- Gender discrimina�on- Patriarchal alliance and resistance.- Victorian percep�on of women: the idea of women as house wives with children- Some cultural prac�ces, like Iru-Mgbede, which is typical to the Easterners, violates the health

and rights of the girl child. - Marital disharmony- Domes�c violence, especially at matrimonial level is usually caused by unemployment, poverty,

infidelity, and drunkenness.- Making and implemen�ng malevolent policies, most of which are detrimental to women.- Misconstruc�on of scriptural meaning of submission especially in patriarchal socie�es- Limita�on of Nigerian Service women from againing certain professional levels in the military.- Improper/low payment for women in agriculture - Women's inability to own and control key assets, leading to their inability to acquire loans- Under representa�on of women in poli�cs.- Unemployment of men, leading to unemployment for women.

- Uncontrolled fer�lity and health haards- Lack of educa�on and unfriendly educa�onal policies- Indecent accommoda�ons or some women who migrate from other towns and communi�es

At the end of the 30th Anniversary Conference and Village Square Mee�ng, the par�cipants

resolved as follows:

RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS1. Stakeholders including Government, the Academia, NGOs, CBOs and other relevant civil society organiza�ons mut consciously engage to develop effffece plaporms to tackle the challenges and foster the posi� e trends. This will provide:· equality and financial security for women· policies and facili�es that will embrace healthy living amongst women and girls· Improved awareness about infec�ous diseases and avoidance or preven�on2. There must be awareness on the dangers of compe��ve syndrome among women. For instance,· A regula�on of market systems, to give women at lower cadre of the system a sense of

belonging and mo�va�on towards good living. · Curbing exploita�on of enabling market women to have tangible take home at the end of the day.· Provision of mentoring programs at various levels for capacity building for women and girls· A�en�on on the needs of physically challenged women and girls · Recogni�on of equal rights of men and women in na�on-building. Women in poli�cs must come

construc�vely to public space. · Implementa�on of local and interna�onal policiatargeted towards inclusion of women in

poli�cs.· Re-orienta�on of male poli�cians, to assure them that they are not being challenged by female

aspirants.· Proper mentoring by parents.3. Pragma�c pla�orms must be provided for improved economic status of women· Provision of credit facili�es o enable women set up profitable businesses· Ins�tu�onal eforms in the military to allow women a ain all professional levels

4. Provision of human security programs to protect women and girls from conflict, war and all forms of internal displacement.· Women inclusion in peace-building must be pursued in accordance with exis�ng onvenn�ons

and protocols· The need of women and girls during internally displacement must be carefully a�ended.5. Educa�on policies mut be reconsidered.· The conven�onal tyle of recording pupils' failures with red pen in children's report card must be

revived for the sake of non-literate parents.· Educa�onal facili�es in public schools, par�cular, public toilets must be provided to take care

of girls' sanita�on needs· Women must court the media in poli�cal educa�on for se�ng agenda.

In all, we reckon that there is no 'one cap fits all' when it comes to women's wants. One thing which is certain amidst mul�ple needs or women is that all women want a good future!

thDated this 30 Day of October, 2017

-------------------------------------- Dr. Sharon Adetutu Omotoso Centre Coordinator