The leadership of the 10th National Assembly has been urged to ensure the passage of the five gender bills thrown out in March 2022 by the 9th Assembly.
Key players ranging from civil society organizations, women groups and gender activists made the call Thursday in Abuja, at the launch of the advocacy hashtag and signature campaign on the five rejected gender bills.
Daily Trust reports that the gender bill cluster, supported by USAID and Palladium, consists of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), Womamifesto, National Coalition on Affirmative Action (NCAA), Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GCRN), SAGE and Gender Mobile.
Lydia Odeh, Chief of Party, SCALE Project, Palladium, who addressed newsmen on the sidelines of the event, said the passage of the 5 gender bills into law would pave the way for an inclusive and equal society.
"These five gender bills we advocate for today are not just pieces of legislation; they are keystones in the doorway towards a more inclusive and egalitarian society. They signify a commitment to dismantling barriers that have hindered women's full participation in various facets of life."
"They represent a vision where every individual, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to contribute to and benefit from the progress of our nation. The Five Gender Bills are everyone's business, regardless of your gender," she said.
Mrs. Adedayo Benjamin-Laniyi, Pioneer Mandate Secretary for women of the FCT, said the uproar by the women groups was also in tandem of the intentions of the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to bring women to the fore.
"What my assignment is, is to drive the target for one million signatures to become a significance in my six area councils of the FCT.
"It merges with what clearly profiles my principal, the minister of the FCT, Nyesom, Wike, not just as a he for she but as a super champion for raising the banner for women in the FCT and he is waiting for us to do what has never been done before," she said.
Karu Simon, Special Adviser to the Deputy Speaker on Strategy and Program Development, said: "The five bills need to have a level of enlightenment to the populace. Quite a number of people, even the legislators couldn't understand some of the bills until it got to the level at the floor of the House.
"So I think what should be done is to educate not just the legislators but people within the country to begin to understand the value of these bills. Let there be that level of engagement of citizens down to the grassroots".
Ene Obi, former country director, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), said: "The bills we are talking about, is not just about women, it's about the issue of humanity, it's about human rights and social justice. So we are hoping that they will do better. What we have now is a male assembly, we have a House of Assembly where there are no women.
"So, they will have women committees and caucus, it's men that are spearheading it, that's not right, they can't appropriately understand the needs of a woman. We are hoping that in all of the galvanizing and mobilization that we will do for women to get up from wherever they are to be part of the country and its decision making process."
Comments