International Women’s Day gives international students a platform

An International Women’s Day (IWD) event has given a voice to two inspirational GCU students who are helping make Nigeria a better place.

Ijeoma Akuta-Joseph and Ruth Onuoha got the chance to speak at ‘Invest in Women’, which was held at GCU’s Archive Centre to mark IWD 2024 on 8 March.

The event was organised by GCU’s Department of Social Sciences and gave five international Masters students the opportunity to reflect on their experiences working with NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) around the world.

Ijeoma and Ruth are completing their degrees in MSc Human Rights and were both asked to give their reflections by Programme Leader, Dr Rosalind Parr.

The overall event, which was attended by more than 50 guests, tied into the United Nation’s theme for this year’s IWD: ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’.

We sat down with Ijeoma and Ruth to hear about their experience presenting on the day and to find out more about the different ways they have supported women in Nigeria.

How did you come to study at GCU?

Ijeoma: “Over the past four years I’ve been working with an NGO that supports pregnant women and children. We go to communities and help by telling them about immunisation. We also take them to hospitals and look after new-borns.

“I then decided to come to the UK to study and learn more about Human Rights. I was accepted to other Universities in England but I’ve always wanted to come to Scotland. When I was younger, I was told about the castles and the mountains. Glasgow also appealed to me because it’s well known for being a beautiful city.”

Ruth: “For my Undergraduate, I studied at the University of Benin in Nigeria. I studied Biotechnology but when I left I didn’t really look for a job in the world of Science. I eventually saw an advert in the paper to become a court reporter and decided to go for it. Being a court reporter for eight years made me realise that a lot of people don’t actually know their human rights. That interested me and combined with the fact I run a Foundation back in Nigeria, GCU was the best option for me.”

Ruth, tell me a bit about your Foundation?

Ruth: “In 2018, I started a Foundation with my sister. It educates young girls in Lagos, especially those who are just out of school, about menstrual health and reproductive health. These are issues that aren’t really spoken about because of the Nigerian culture. The young girls we deal with are very open and realise that they can actually talk to us about these things. We realised that a lot of people don’t have access to menstrual products – we provide them with that. Our next step is to put menstrual products in schools.

“When we started the Foundation it was all just about helping young girls. I’m sure in Nigeria most people wouldn’t actually know it’s their human right to have access to these things.  In Scotland girls have free access to period products, so why can’t we do that in Nigeria?”

What did your presentations for IWD 2024 focus on?

Ijeoma: “A lot of the work I previously did focused on the general theme of IWD and that idea of empowerment. What I talked about was how international organisations can come in and support women, especially in Africa. NGOs are self-funded, no-one gives them money. Most international organisations go to the government when they bring aid to Africa. When that happens, often the aid doesn’t end up in the local communities where it’s needed most. Most of the women we deal with haven’t gone to school and have never had a child before, so it’s a lot for them to deal with.

“It’s also to help women in Nigeria realise that their purpose is not simply to have children every year. There is very little family planning and they feel like they don’t have a choice. That’s why our organisation exists: to tell them they have options and that it’s their life to live. I just want to help spread the word and also let them know that £1 can make a difference to the people of Nigeria.”

Ruth: “Mine focused on my work with the Foundation. This year’s International Women’s Day theme was “Invest in women”. I think it’s important to think about what that actually means. The angle I took it from was that women can invest in other women. Individuals might not have the funds to financially support but a lot of women do have time, and that time can be used to volunteer. I spoke about the different volunteers we have at the Foundation in Nigeria that deal with the collection and distribution of the products. Anyone can invest their money and that is very useful, but giving time to volunteer and provide ideas is also extremely important.

“I wasn’t nervous about doing the presentation because I know what I’m talking about. I knew no-one else was speaking about that issue and I like to talk, so I knew that I had to get people’s attention. It’s a very sensitive issue but I just wanted to make people aware of what we are trying to do in Nigeria.”

What sort of feedback did you receive?

Ruth: “It was very positive! I had so many people approach me since and ask how things are going with the Foundation. Just hearing that makes me know that I am doing the right work in my life and that my message is getting across to other people – that’s the reason I wanted to do this. I also sent my presentation and pictures from the event back to Nigeria to show my sister and the other women involved that the work we are doing has gone beyond Nigeria. It shows that what we are doing is having a serious impact.”

Ijeoma: “All of the other speakers were very nice and discussed important issues. The crowd was also fantastic and really listened to what we had to say. It was clear they connected to my presentation and this is something I would like to do more of in future.”

You are both obviously very proud women, do you feel lucky to get the chance to speak about something you’re both so passionate about on International Women’s Day?

Ijeoma: “I am so glad I was asked to speak. It gives me an opportunity to present to a new type of audience compared to what I’m used to back home. This is my first time speaking publically away from home about my passion. It’s something I won’t forget.”

Ruth: “I was really proud to talk at the event – it meant a lot to me. These are very sensitive issues and talking about it in a public space gives it more light, which is what gender issues are all about.

“GCU has been really awesome for me overall. I was telling my husband recently about the education system here and how the structure has gone beyond my expectations. I’ve been in Nigeria all my life and everyone knows about International Women’s Day, but I’ve never attended an event that is organised by an institution. To be able to actually inform other people about the importance of International Women’s Day is so vital. People can post on social media but an event like this goes far beyond that. It shows the MSc Human Rights programme and the University really value gender issues.”

What’s the next step in your career?

Ruth: “There’s a phrase that says ‘Don’t just pass through University, University should pass through you.’ It means we are here to learn and hear from academics but there are other things you can actually achieve while you’re here.

“One of the major things I hope to achieve before the end of my degree is having the opportunity to volunteer with an organisation that supports women and the issues they are facing. I want to expand my knowledge so that I have an insight into international issues, rather than just the difficulties women in Nigeria face.”

Ijeoma: “I hope when I leave GCU that I get to face an organisation with meaningful purpose. I don’t want to sit in an office and work, I want to continue on the path I’m on. I want to go places where I will actually help people. I love it!”

Find out more about the MSc Human Rights programme here

By Ross Clark           
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter