Get Guardian on GoogleA Professor of Public Administration at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Yemisi Ogunlela, has called for gender-sensitive policies and administrative reforms to address gender inequality and promote inclusive national development.
Ogunlela made the call while delivering the 44th inaugural lecture of the institution.
The university teacher argued that gender inequality was not merely a product of cultural beliefs and individual discrimination, but was also embedded in the structures, policies and practices of public institutions.
She explained that institutional arrangements often turned biological differences into unequal access to education, healthcare, employment and leadership opportunities, thereby limiting the contributions of women and men to national development.
According to her, everyday expressions used to describe newborns often reinforce societal expectations that shape their experiences from childhood.
She noted that while girls were commonly associated with beauty and domestic responsibilities, boys were linked to strength and achievement. Such stereotypes, she said, could influence educational and career choices, professional advancement and access to leadership positions.
Highlighting Nigeria’s gender-related development challenges, Ogunlela identified maternal mortality, women’s limited participation in decisions concerning their reproductive health and their underrepresentation in political leadership as issues requiring urgent attention.
She said addressing these challenges requires effective public administration, institutional reforms and respect for human rights, alongside appropriate cultural and healthcare interventions.
The professor warned that policies presented as gender-neutral could perpetuate inequality if they fail to recognise the different circumstances and responsibilities of men and women.
She cited promotion systems that reward uninterrupted career progression as an example, explaining that such arrangements could disadvantage women, who often bear a disproportionate share of unpaid caregiving responsibilities.
To address the disparities, Ogunlela urged governments and public institutions to collect and use gender-disaggregated data to identify inequalities and develop policies that respond to the specific needs of different population groups.
She also advocated a shift from reproductive administration, which sustains existing practices, to “transformative administration”, which critically examines established systems and promotes fairer and more effective outcomes.
Her recommendations included integrating gender considerations into development plans, investing in the girl child, improving maternal and reproductive healthcare, and strengthening collaboration among ministries responsible for health, education, infrastructure and finance.
She further urged policymakers to move beyond treating everyone identically and adopt approaches that recognise different needs while removing structural barriers that perpetuate inequality.
“The goal is not to make men and women identical but to ensure that a child’s sex does not determine the quality of opportunities available to them,” she said.
In his remarks, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, said the lectures provided scholars with opportunities to present research findings and propose solutions to societal problems.
Mafiana commended Ogunlela for highlighting the relationship between gender relations, public policy and national development, describing the issues raised as relevant to Nigeria’s development priorities
He emphasised the need to translate research findings into practical measures that would improve governance and institutional performance.
