A coalition of over a dozen civil society organisations on Tuesday castigated the two chambers of the National Assembly for their rejection of bills meant to address discrimination against women in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by 18 CSOs to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), the coalition described March 1, 2022, the day the House of Representatives and the Senate rejected five bills designed to leverage gender balance between men and women, as a day that “will go down in history as one of the saddest days for women of Nigeria.”
The statement, entitled “Nigeria Women Reject NASS Rejection of the Gender Bills”, said by rejecting the bills, the 9th National Assembly has clearly shown that it has institutionalised discrimination as one of its core policies despite Nigeria being signatory to global conventions, norms and standards against discrimination.
While saying “NO gender inequity and say a loud YES to GENDER EQUITY AND REPRESENTATION” the CSOs demanded that the National Assembly should as a matter of urgency reconsider and pass the gender bills.
The coalition also enjoins all Nigeria Women to OCCUPY NASS on Tuesday March 8, 2022 stressing that the Voice of women will not cease, until equal representation is achieved.
The statement full statement reads:
NIGERIA WOMEN REJECT NASS REJECTION OF THE GENDER BILLS
#IWD2022 #TheConstitutionWomenWant #BreakTheConstitutionBias
#BreakThePoliticalBias #NigerianWomenOccupyNASS
1st of March 2022 will go down in history as one of the saddest days for women of Nigeria. A day that men of the 9th National Assembly forced women to swallow the bitter pill of ‘irrelevance’ in public life. A day that gender exclusion was legalized with their votes against the five Constitutional Amendment Bills seeking to promote the political and socio-economic rights of women. These were Bills that were expected to safeguard democratic rights of women and young girls of Nigeria whilst increasing their participation and ensuring their dignity. It is clear that discrimination has become a policy of the 9th National Assembly despite Nigeria being signatory to global conventions, norms and standards against discrimination.
It is particularly painful that this devastating action of National Assembly men happened in a month where women are celebrated globally. The action of National Assembly men shows disdain for Women of Nigeria who make up at least 50% of the population of Nigeria 200 million people. In 2022, we do not expect to be dealing with this level of gender bias which has hindered equal and balance representation in governance. The effort to change this narrative and promote women’s representation through all five Gender Bills have now been rejected by the male-dominated 9th National Assembly, thereby, rejecting improved governance, quality education, good public health system and economic benefits that would have been brought on inclusion of more women.
We join all women in Nigeria and around the world to commemorate the International Women’s Day and specifically demand for:
- More Appointive Positions for Women
- Specific Seats for Women in the National and State Assemblies
- Citizenship to the foreign-born husband of Nigerian Women
- 35% Affirmative Action in Party Administration and Leadership
- Indigeneship for Women married outside their States of Origin
We the undersign say NO to gender inequity and say a loud YES to GENDER EQUITY AND REPRESENTATION. We demand as a matter of urgency for the National Assembly to reconsider and pass the Gender Bills. We enjoin all Nigeria Women to OCCUPY NASS on Tuesday March 8, 2022. The Voice of women will not cease, until equal representation is achieved.
Signed:
- Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development
- The Electoral Hub
- Emerge Women
- Gender Strategy Advancement International
- Partners West Africa, Nigeria
- Centre for Democracy and Development
- Emma Ezeazu Centre for Good Governance and Accountability
- African Youth Union Commission
- 100 Women Lobby Group – Abuja
- League of Women Voters of Nigeria
- Proactive Gender Initiatives
- Pan African Women Forum for Grassroot Development
- Women for Women Community
- Nigeria Women Support Council
- Network of Disabled Women
- Society for Women Mentoring and Advancement
- Bemore Empowered Foundation
- Womanifesto
