Equity isn’t only about salary numbers or job opportunities. It isn’t limited to the fact that women have value to add and their voices matter at the table in every sphere of life – business, church, community, family. The vital importance of embracing equity for women isn’t about sport or science or roles that were traditionally reserved for men. These elements all come into it – and all of them are crucial – but at the heart of it all, a lack of equity creates space for abuse. It leaves room for stigma. It allows physical, psychological and societal damage.
We embrace equity because it is just.
As Christians, we recognise that we are all created in God’s image. We all have equal value. We all were born to thrive.
Rhoda’s survival story
Rhoda Samuel is a widow who lives in Plateau State, Nigeria. At the age of 64, she has had a career as a primary school teacher, raised four children and is now a small scale farmer.
Rhoda is a survivor of domestic abuse.
She and her husband were married for 22 years until he died. For 16 of those years, ever since her husband started drinking heavily, Rhoda was subjected to violence at his hands.
‘My husband used to beat me even when I greeted him or welcomed him. That’s how bad it was,’ Rhoda tells us.