Revisit gender bills or we’ll occupy n’assembly, NGOs tell lawmakers

Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, co-convener, Womanifesto, and Ebere Ifendu, chairperson, Women in Politics Forum, say women will occupy the National Assembly Complex until lawmakers revisit the rejected gender bills.

The planned action was announced in a statement issued on Sunday.

TheCable had reported how federal lawmakers voted against bills that were in favour of women, including a bill to create special seats for women in the national and state houses of assembly.

The NGOs called for an “urgent reconvening, reconsideration, and immediate passage of the five women/gender-related bills”.

They demanded the “passing of the Gender and Equal Opportunities (GEOB) Bill, currently before the senate” and the “resuscitation and the passage of the Bill on Support for Women Participation in Elective and Appointive Positions Bill 2020 before the House of Representatives”.

The NGOs are also seeking the “immediate domestication of the African Charters Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, which Nigeria ratified in 2004” and the “domestication of the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Nigeria ratified in 1985”.

They said the rejection of the bills shows that women are “irrelevant” in Nigeria, adding that they will continue to push back on the “misogynistic attitude” of the national assembly.

“The pattern of neglect of women’s concerns and disregard for womanity, severally women have been embarrassed by the gender insensitive practices of the lawmakers,” the statement reads.

“The failure to address women issues through the gender bill shows that women are irrelevant. We reject further dehumanization of Nigerian Women. The constitution should cure the defect and we will continue to protest to show our dissatisfaction.

“We call on the Senate President and the Hon. Speaker to call an urgent meeting to discuss how to redress the wrong if not we shall continue to occupy the NASS.”