Gender Equality: Its Perception and Application and the Implication for National Development

Given the gender equality wind blowing across the globe and the way Nigeria is being governed since 27th of August 1985 till date, this paper attempts to examine Nigeria’s perception and application of the gender equality concept and the implications of her perception and application of the gender equality concept for her national development. It addresses five key areas in its examination of Nigeria’s perception and application of the gender equality concept and the implications for her national development. First, it tries to conceptualize gender, gender equality and national development. Second, it tries to examine the global perception and application of the gender equality concept. Third, it examines the way Nigeria perceives concept since 27th of August, 1985 till date. Four, it tries to discuss the implications of Nigeria perception and application of the gender equality concept for her national development. It observes that Nigeria’s perception and application of the gender equality concept vis-avis its global perception and application implies:- first, the abuse of the constitution and the attendant impingement on national development; and second, the encouragement of large-scale corruption and political thuggery, and their attendant impingement on national development. In sum, her perception and application of the gender equality concept has negative implications for her national development. Finally, it suggests that for Nigeria to turn around the negative implications of her perception and implication of the gender equality concept to her advantage, she has to adopt the global perception and application of the concept as well as heed to the advice by Wika, to implemes the decisions of the Beijing Conference in line with the constitutional laws of our mother land, Nigeria.