My secondary school teacher who taught civic education once said, “Marriage gives a woman prestige.” According to her, marriage was designed to make life better and easier for women. However, her stance remains debatable as the discriminatory laws in Nigeria often paint a different picture. From being required to renounce their identity to being regarded as minors or even as their husband’s property, married Nigerian women always seem to receive the shorter end of the stick.
The reality of married women needing a letter of permission from their husbands to travel, the requirement of a letter of consent from the husband to obtain a national passport and the ongoing debate on women retaining their maiden name after marriage all question the supposed prestige marriage brings to married women.
To further expound on the discrimination against married women, let’s take a hard look at the extra requirements imposed on only married women who wish to serve Nigeria in the Nation Youth Service Corp (NYSC) programme and the glaring absence of similar rules for men.
Married women must change their names as an NYSC requirement
When Puella, a married woman who wanted to serve registered for the compulsory NYSC online, she encountered a significant issue. As she filled out the forms, she indicated her marital status as “married” and provided her spouse’s details. However, on the summary page, she saw that her name had been changed to her husband’s surname.
“I retained my maiden name when I got married, having no intention to change it,” Puella reflected, as she recalled feeling a wave of shock at the sight of her altered name. To further complicate matters, the system would not allow her to complete her registration until she provided proof of a name change.
To resolve this, she and her husband visited the NYSC Headquarters. There, they were informed that the law mandated women to change their names upon marriage, a claim they contested. “Married women change their names as an NYSC requirement,” the director asserted. They argued that this automatic name change was unjust, but they explained that the system was designed to automatically alter a woman’s name once she selected “married.”
Ultimately, her NYSC certificate was issued with a name that did not belong to her. This has led to ongoing complications with job applications. “With every job that I apply for in Nigeria in the future, I have to explain (with proof) that I am not trying to take the place of someone that does not exist,” she lamented.
Married women require permission to serve the country
The requirements for married women who wish to participate in the one-year service programme include a marriage certificate, newspaper change of name, proof of husband’s identity, letter of a place of domicile from husband, and a utility bill that must carry the husband’s name and residence. Such requirements do not exist for married men who wish to serve the country.
Where are the rules for married men?
The absence of such conditions for men drives home the point that married women are often seen as their husband’s property. It also further emphasises the fact that misogynistic and archaic practices in Nigeria are often state and institution-backed.
While the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) may have deleted the letter of consent from the list of travel requirements for married women after over 24 years of existence, several other laws still discriminate against married women. One of such laws is the inability for foreign husbands of Nigeria women to be granted citizenship by marriage while reverse is the case for foreign wives of Nigerian men and government institutions have shown a distinct lack of interest in addressing or changing said laws.
This issue is part of broader conversations about gender equality and the importance of addressing gender-based inequalities in Nigeria.
Calling for a change
Creating awareness about government policies that discriminate against women is vital in challenging harmful gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality. It is essential that women and the general public first know that these discriminatory laws exist to call for a change.
Also, encouraging women’s participation in decision-making processes at both local and federal levels and addressing cultural norms that promote discrimination are necessary steps in building a more inclusive and equitable society where women, married or not, thrive.
