MFN MOVES GENDER EQUALITY ADVOCACY TO BAYELSA, URGES MEN TO LEAD THE CHANGE

The campaign for gender equality gained fresh momentum in Bayelsa State on Wednesday as the Male Feminist Network (MFN) expanded its advocacy to the state, calling on men to take a frontline role in dismantling deep-rooted gender biases.

The advocacy visit, led by Ambassador Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, Executive Director of the Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative (VREI), took place in Yenagoa during an engagement with the leadership of the Bayelsa Non-Governmental Organizations Forum (BANGOF). The initiative, driven in partnership with MFN and the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), is supported by the Ford Foundation and targets communities across the Niger Delta.

Egedegbe explained that the movement was conceived as a response to long-standing patriarchal norms and cultural practices that have continued to limit women’s opportunities in both private and public life. According to him, meaningful progress can only be achieved when men actively champion equality rather than viewing it as a women-only struggle.

“We felt it was important to bring men together and ask how they can be part of the solution,” he said, noting that male support would significantly widen the reach and impact of the gender equality message.

He stressed that the advocacy does not seek to erase family structures but to promote fairness and inclusion in society. While acknowledging traditional roles within the home, he argued that excluding women from leadership, decision-making, and social opportunities amounts to injustice. “When women are denied the space to express their capacity in society, that is where inequity begins,” he added.

The VREI executive director also raised concerns about the prevalence of domestic violence, describing it as one of the harshest outcomes of entrenched patriarchal beliefs. He noted that although laws exist to protect women, limited awareness has weakened their enforcement, leaving many victims vulnerable.

Addressing misconceptions around feminism, Egedegbe said the movement often triggers fear because it is wrongly perceived as an attempt to sideline men. He challenged this notion, urging society to rethink inherited norms in ways that benefit humanity as a whole.

Responding, Chairman of BANGOF in Bayelsa State, Barrister Taritein Boco, commended the initiative for deliberately engaging men in the gender equality conversation. He described the approach as timely and strategic, given the cultural sensitivities surrounding the issue.

“This kind of advocacy is not something that can be achieved overnight,” Boco said, noting that changing long-standing beliefs would require patience, consistency, and sustained engagement. He also observed that misunderstandings about gender equality are common, even among women, who sometimes fear it is about replacing men rather than promoting balance.

Despite the challenges, Boco pledged the forum’s support for the campaign and promised to help extend the advocacy beyond the initial engagement.

As part of its activities in Bayelsa, the group is scheduled to host a town hall meeting on Thursday and has also engaged the Gender Response Initiative Team to strengthen collaboration and awareness around the campaign.