On Sunday, in faraway Los Angeles,   American female director Kathryn  Bigelow made history by becoming the first woman to win the coveted Academy Award (Oscars) for Best Director. Kathryn's big win made many women the world over so proud; it came on the eve of the celebration of International Women's Day. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the occasion that was first proposed in 1910 by a German socialist leader, Clara Zetkin. In her work promoting women's rights, Mrs Zetkin urged every county to mark a special day for women with the aim of addressing gender demands. Although the initial aim of the annual celebration was to tackle various areas of gender disparity, the annual celebration is now largely dedicated to inspiring women and celebrating their achievements. In this regard, Ms Bigelow's historic triumph could not have come at a better time.

This year's International Women's Day came with the theme, "Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All". The theme is such an appropriate and vital subject of discussion, especially in a country like Nigeria where there continues to be gender inequity in the labour and employment sector. Even though the Nigerian constitution provides "equal pay for equal work without discrimination on account of sex or any other ground", discrimination and disparities still persist in the wages and opportunities for women as opposed to those of men. Every day in this country, women struggle with the impediment to professional employment and adequate salary representation. While more women are venturing into a career in male-dominated fields, they do not receive the equal opportunity, equal pay and equal treatment that men do for the same kind of work. The disparity in the treatment, opportunity and wage gap for men and women could not be more blatant in spite of the fact women tend to be just as passionate and dedicated to their work as men are.

In the private sector, it is very common to find competent women prematurely reaching a plateau in their career because of a lack of promotion. This, in many instances, is arguably due to the fact that most employers tend to favour the promotion of a male over that of a woman.

No matter which way we look at this matter, there is very little doubt that women face enormous challenges within the workforce. The genesis of the callenge lies in our cultures and the restrictions on education for women. In many communities here in Nigeria, from the very begining of their lives, women are already at a disadvantage in terms of schooling because they have no access or poor access to education. The situation is all the more dire in rural areas where educating boys is preferred to sending girls to school. In almost all Nigerian cultures, society seems more comfortable with a woman staying at home rather than being in the office or workplace.

Then, there is also the notion that women are not suitable for certain kinds of work. Although there is no law that prohibits women from working in certain sectors, save mining, the dictates of culture proscribes able females from venturing into many areas of work. But our different cultures and beliefs should not be an excuse for the subjugation of women who want to work. In many Asian countries, it is common to find women in leadership roles simply for the fact their society allows and encourages them. And it is not so much about cultural divide because the Asian community is just as authoritarian, religious and traditional as ours. Take Islamic countries that have had female presidents and prime ministers such as Pakistan, Turkey and Indonesia, for instance.

I have heard the argument many times that the very nature of a woman limits and even prohibits her from being physically, emotionally and mentally built for work in an office or in a leadership position. When I have heard people speak in such a manner, I have never bothered to respond to them because I believe that such a notion is misguided at best. If one agrees with the fact that a woman is capable enough to withstand labour pain and bear children, clean the home, cook and pound yam or look after her husband, then, she is adept enough for the challenges in the workplace. Thinking clearly, making responsible decisions, whether in the office or the home, is a subjective matter determined by the personal responsibility of an individual; it has absolutely nothing to do with gender. If a woman can successfully participate in policy making and leadership in her own house, she can just as effectively exhibit those same leadership qualities and intelligence in the workplace or office.

The most erroneous and slighting notion of a woman who works is the one where a working woman is considered not to be respectable or responsible. Of all the beliefs and analysis of women, this is the most ridiculous because instead of encouraging the determination of a female who strives to succeed in a male-dominated field, she is odiously labelled. But the truth is that anybody who accuses a woman of indecency purely because she is dedicated to her work and career is simply ignorant and insecure.

The plight of single and divorced women is even worse. Unmarried women in Nigeria endure many forms of prejudice in and out of the workplace. Some years back, officials in one particular state released a directive requiring all single and divorced women working in the civil service to get married or lose their jobs. Pregnant married women in the workforce have also been victim to this kind of discrimination. It is a given that career women at some point in their lives may have to juggle and find a balance between work and family. However, some employers have been reported to dismiss female employees who become pregnant during the course of their employment. The situation was so bad that some banks required women employees to sign a bond specifying that they would not become pregnant or marry within the first three years of employment. Women who did either were usually dismissed on the theory of a breach of contract. Even in some private businesses, employers operate a get-pregnant-get-fired policy. Though labour law stipulates that all women are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave during which period they must receive at minimum 50% of their regular wages, bias against mothers and pregnant women in the workforce continues.

I once read that a human being must have occupation if he or she is not to become a nuisance to the world. By disallowing women to tap into their potential or discriminating against those who do, we limit the scope of our possibility as a people and create futility around us. The negative attitude towards women in the workforce is universally damaging with a ripple effect.

Women who have the knowledge and experience of work or career are in a good position to harness the benefits of that knowledge and exposure in educating their children, running their homes and contributing to their communities. We still have a long way to go before we can overcome the hurdles and misconceptions of women in employment. The first step must start with education because only education can change the social training that encourages our society to discriminate against women who are trying to improve their lot in life. Women have so much to offer, they should not be discriminated against. Not all women choose to work but, for those that do, they should be treated equally and with respect.

Hopefully, with exposure, social conditioning and law reform, the treatment of women in employment and leadership will keep changing in Nigeria. We should see the achievement of one woman at the Academy Awards ceremony in America as a victory for all women. I certainly do. And as women across the globe celebrate the centenary of our day, we hope the vision of that other great German woman leader 100 years ago will be a reality in every aspect of every woman's life. That way, come the next International Women's Day, we truly will be celebrating "equal rights, equal opportunities and progress for all women".