By Victor Bieni, Asaba
The entire globe, especially the umbrella of Women all over the World had condemned the action of Nigerian Lawmakers on their actions as their initial 35% affirmative action was reduced to 20% and their recent request on Special Seats in the National Assembly, Ministerial positions and other sundry issues which were rejected by the Lawmakers during voting in the House.
Our reporter yesterday being Friday, 11th March, 2022 in commemoration of International Women’s Day in Asaba, Delta State capital observed the solidary rally, peaceful protest as carried out by the leadership of International Centre For Women Empowerment And Child Development, ICWECD led by Barr. Mercy Abolo in collaboration with Sozo Women Foundation led by Joyce Ogochukwu Nsaka and Women leaders of Civil Society Organizations in Delta State as group said they were fully in support of more political power for Women and greater participation of Women in Nigerian Politics.
The civil society leaders who led their peaceful protests to the gate of Delta State House of Assembly rejected the recent bill as step down by the Federal Lawmakers as groups chanted “NO, TO NATIONAL ASSEMBLY” that they were in support of more political power for women.
The media learnt that, Executive Director, International Centre For Women Empowerment And Child Development, ICWECD, Mercy Abolo while presenting her speech at the State House of Assembly and consequently at the State Secretariat during the solidarity rally stated that the demostration of the Delta Women CSOs as seen was in commemoration of International Women’s Day, a protest March against the rejection of the bill for the creation of 111 Special Seats for women in the Federal and sub-national Parliaments.
She said: “Int’l Center for Women Empowerment and Child Dev, (ICWECD) is commemorating today in Asaba the capital of Delta State the 2022 International Women’s day with this protest march held to register our opposition and disappointment , over the recent rejection of the bill for the creation of 111 special seats in the national and sub-national parliaments in the country exclusively for Nigerian women”.
“The bill which was sponsored by deputy chief whip Hon. Nkiruka Onyejiocha, representing Isikwuato/Umumechu Federal Constituency of Abia State was introduced as one of the items for reform in the just concluded 1999 constitution review exercise”.
“We are pleased to note the spirited and exemplary efforts made by the first lady Mrs Aisha Buhari and the second lady Mrs Dolapo Osinbanjo to see that the bill was passed, and we commend the two great amazons for their efforts”.
“We also commend the sponsor of the bill ,Mrs Onyejiocha and the co-sponsor of the bill, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and their initiative and the remarkable role they played to see the bill through”.
“It is disappointing and appalling that our lawmakers could not see the reason to pass the bill. The rejection of the bill , thus shows the insensitivity of our law makers to the plights and concerns of women in Nigeria as well as indicated the lack of appreciation for the importance of increasing the participation of women in Nigeria politics”.
“It is tempting to conclude that our lawmakers have not taken due consideration of the importance of increasing the participation of women in politics in taking the ungulate and ignoble decision to reject the bill, because they, the lawmakers had earlier in the course of the 1999 constitutional review exercise, thrown out several other bills that sought to promote the political empowerment of Nigerian women”.
“These include the bill to assign some political offices exclusively to Nigerian women, the indegenship bill that was meant to make women eligible to contest election in their husband’s States after about five years into marriage and the bill to give women some percentage in the Ministerial slots and the censorship at the State level”.
“The importance of increasing political participation of women in Nigeria politics cannot however be over stated, several studies have shown that increasing the participation of women in politics leads to greater investment in education,healthcare , as well as foster the protection, development and welfare of children and the wellbeing of families”.
“Greater participation of women in politics is also known to promote gender balance in the workforce as well as engender economic growth and sustainable development, furthermore, it enhances democratic governance and makes for greater responsiveness to the needs of citizens, increases co-operation across party and ethnic lines and fosters socio-political stability, peace and security.
Gender balance in the political sphere is not really a concession or favour to our women or men in the society”.
“It is an international guaranteed right.
It was first enacted in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) of the United Nations (UN) which accords equal recognition and rights to all human beings irrespective of race, sex etc. It however found expression as practical programme of action in the declaration made at the fourth world conference on women in Beijing, China , which affirmed and advocated 30% affirmative action for women in political sphere”.
“It is also a constitutionally guaranteed right in Nigeria which is well affirmed and expressed in the National Gender Policy. The national gender policy, for example, recommends 35% affirmative action in favour of women in both elective and appointive political positions.
It is therefore strange and rather bizarre that the lawmakers who are the custodians and guardians of our constitution should bar and prevent the large majority of Nigerian women from exercising their right to participate in politics which the rejected bill sought to open for them”.
“We urge all Nigerians to join us in decrying the rejection of the bill, an act which amounts to deprivation of the fundamental rights of women to participate in politics and we appeal to our lawmakers to take the bill again and pass it into law”.
“The Women who were accompanied by the Nigerian Police Aand other security agencies were seen at Okpanam Road in the streets of Asaba, Delta State capital, moved from the State Assembly, they were told to check back as neither the Assembly speaker, nor State Rep Members were in office when they arrived the complex. Members were not in their after tabling their demands, expressing their concerns on the need for women to be given their respect in the society”.
“The Women who left the State Assembly as the went straight to the Delta State Secretariat were seen carrying placards with the inscriptions such as: “Men and Women should have equal Political rights. ‘We Reject The Idea That Women Should have Limited Role’, ‘We Say Know to Political Under Representation of Women In Nigerian Politics’, ‘Give Women Equal Representation In Parliament Across All The States In Nigeria’, ‘Give Woman 35% Representation In Parliament Across The States In Nigeria”.
Addressing the three Commissioners and other Principal Staff of the Ministries, The Chairperson , Sozo Women Foundation, Joyce Ogochukwu Nsaka, who doubles as the Youngest Nigerian female Presidential aspirant presented some Issues of concern that prompted the peaceful protests to includes that the Women’s CSOs were in support of more political power for Women, and greater participation of Women in Politics, that UN+SDGs on gender mainstreaming should be upheld strictly, that women being intelligent beings should be give equal representation in Nigerian Politics line their male counterparts, and be allowed to rule Nigeria.
The Women CSOs leaders were received and addressed by two different commissioners, The Delta State Commissioner For Women Affairs ably represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Delta State Commissioner For Vocational and Technical Education, and Delta State, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian, Dr Chuks Nwani, The Delta State Commissioner, Humanitarian and Community Support Services, Barr. Bridget Anyafulu, who advised them to continue lending their voices towards achieving results on full women Political Inclusion and gender equality, while they urged them to ensure that they make themselves Independent, self-reliant, be hard-working woman, responsible, play vital roles in the society and be relevant to the society by providing all round support to their families.
Other CSO leaders present in their vote of thanks to the Commissioners commended them for listening to their demands and concerns by coming out to identify with them in their solidarity rally, then urged them to take the various issues raised to the appropriate authorities for action to expadiated, to produce results.