Actress Kate Henshaw has voiced her concerns over the persistent inequalities faced by women, condemning societal attitudes and legal frameworks that perpetuate gender bias.
Drawing from the biblical creation story, Henshaw emphasized that women were created as equals to men, not as subordinates.
She expressed disappointment at how cultural and legal norms have distorted this principle, perpetuating gender disparities over time.
The actress highlighted specific Nigerian laws that institutionalize discrimination, such as citizenship provisions that grant rights to foreign women married to Nigerian men but deny the same to foreign men married to Nigerian women.
Henshaw also criticized elements of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, particularly clauses allowing men to “reasonably chastise” their wives, labeling them as enablers of domestic abuse.
Henshaw called for urgent legal reforms to ensure equal rights and protection for women under Nigerian law.
She said, “God created man and woman. He created the man first, no doubt. Even pastors and churches are at fault for this. He (God) brought the woman from the side, not from the head over the man or from under to be beneath him but beside, to reign beside him, to be fruitful, multiply and bring up children and grow together but Nigerian men see women as less than human that is why when you leave these shores and go somewhere else, they show you people pepper.
“You see us as this wood…even our laws, the violence against persons’ prohibition laws favour the man…A man is reasonably allowed to chastise his wife”.