If you scanned a Nigerian newspaper on any given day, you’d find at least one story about a woman either  being physically assaulted, sexually assaulted or even raped. It is not news to anyone that violence against women in the country has reached epidemic proportions and not enough is being done by the government to support the very important work that charities and non-profit organisations are doing to counteract this violence.

This is why it is important that every day Nigerian women are speaking up and adding their voice to the fight against patriarchy fuelled violence against women. Especially women who other women consider positive role models and can emulate.

Nigerian Taekwando National Champion and coach, Thursdaline Peter recently weighed in on a number of things regarding women for an interview with the BBC. She spoke on gender inequality and how her job as a sports woman especially in a sport like Taekwando has allowed her find self esteem and proven to the men in her line of work that she is equal to them. She encourages women to empower themselves and denounces domestic violence, all in pidgin too. It is so important especially because she doesn’t fit the mold of what we normally expect when we hear women speak about domestic violence.

We need more women like her to speak up.

Listen to Thursdaline here.

Nigerian Taekwondo champion – Thursdaline Peter on kicking gender inequality where it hurts.
via @BBCAfrica pic.twitter.com/QC2hdmPNGZ

— More Branches (@MoreBranches) September 9, 2017

Editor