Coalition of CSOs advocates for state assemblies to adopt gender related bills.
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Tuesday in Enugu advocated for State Assemblies to adopt gender related bills.
The group, mostly made up of women, adorned in all-black attire and with placards, converged on the Enugu State House of Assembly to register their displeasure over rejection of some bills seeking gender equality in Nigeria.
Recall that the National Assembly (NASS) had recently rejected about five bills which sought to grant more opportunities to women in politics and decision making.
The Founder, Women Aids Collective (WACOL), Prof. Joy Ezeilo, described the development as unacceptable and a rejection of womanhood in the scheme of things.
Ezeilo said that every state legislature must be accountable and must begin to show example of gender accountability by adopting gender related bills.
“Nothing prevents a state government from having ‘Gender and Equal Opportunities Bills’ as their contribution to the development of women.
“Enugu State Assembly can give us what we are looking for in Abuja by making laws that will promote and advance gender equality and women’s rights for sustainable development,” she said.
Ezeilo said that women would, henceforth, mobilise against legislators who were not gender sensitive.
The professor of Law said that it was high time women rose to hold their political representatives accountable in order to include them in the highest law of the land.
“As we mark the International Women’s Day today, we are here to register our displeasure over the rejection of the gender-related bills by NASS.
“We, however, commend the leadership of the House of Representatives for their commitment toward the bills in spite of the failure,” she said.
Also, the Chairperson, Nigeria League of Women Voters, Mrs Nnenna Anozie, described the action of the NASS as discriminatory.
Anozie said that such stereotypical action had been going on for too long, adding that the lawmakers seemed not ready to break such bias.
“This is a stereotype that has been going on and the NASS is not ready to break the bias. However, we are ready to fight the injustice.
“Enugu Assembly has 24 legislators but only four are women. That is discrimination,” Anozie said.
Also, the Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Enugu State Chapter, Mrs Ngozi Ngene, appealed to women to interface with their political representatives in order to give women voice.
According to Ngene, any nation that does not recognise Affirmative Action cannot grow.
Responding, the Speaker of the assembly, Chief Edward Ubosi promised that the legislators would, henceforth, give accelerated passage to gender-related bills.
Ubosi, who was represented by the spokesman of the assembly, Mr Jeff Mbah, encouraged women to come up with private bills that would improve their living condition.