Promoting environmental protection in Nigeria through environmental education: the role of women

Abstract

This paper examined the various roles women play in environmental education to promote environmental protection in Nigeria. The paper maintained that Nigeria like most countries in Africa face serious environmental challenges on several fronts including poverty, pollution, land degradation, water security, forest fires, deforestation, climate change and urbanisation due mainly to population pressure. The importance of environmental education has been strongly emphasized not just through schools and colleges but also through training in business and industry, through community activities and through raising public awareness of the environment. It is stressed here that women, being the first teachers of our children, have the capacity to influence others like husbands, house-helps and neighbours and their closeness to the environment supports the need for environmental education right from home for environmental consciousness. The challenges facing women in a bid to carry out this all-important task as highlighted in this paper include inadequate trained personnel, lack of government commitment to funding, lack of flow of information to decision makers, cultural/religious factors, social and economic factors, lack of time and other domestic duties at home. The paper established that the environment, a common heritage of humanity needs to be sustainably managed to fight against poverty, food shortage as well as homelessness which can be some of the serious consequences of environmental degradation.

Keywords: Environmental protection, environmental education, promotion, women

Journal of Environmental Extension Vol. 6 2007: pp. 17-24