A total of 227 women groups have condemned the Tuesday rejection of five gender bills by senators and House of Representatives members during the ongoing constitutional review at the National Assembly.
The group, according to a statement jointly issued on Wednesday, accused the National Assembly members of discrimination and political bias against women in the country.
While arguing that women in the country have been denied opportunity of inclusion and representation in governance, they accused NASS members of lacking the desire to see to the progress of the society and their “mothers, aunties, sisters, wives, and daughters.”
The women under the aegis of Women In Nigeria further urged the National Assembly to reconsider the bills in commemoration of March, the month globally dedicated to celebrating women worldwide, adding that more women in governance will only bring progress, and respect for Nigeria in the committee of nations.
“It is particularly sad that in a month globally dedicated to celebrating women worldwide, our NASS has chosen to deny women basic human rights. These are rights enjoyed by every Nigerian except women.
“The proposed gender bills in the 5th Constitution Alteration Bills that were all rejected are Bills targeted at addressing the current gender imbalance across the legislative arm of governments across the country whilst reducing the under-representation of women in political office.
“The men of the 9th NASS have reinforced the discrimination and political bias against women as enshrined in the 1999 constitution by denying citizenship to a foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman. (While it allows Nigerian men’s foreign-born wives to be awarded automatic citizenship).
“Denying Nigerian women indigeneity through marriage, denying 35% appointed positions for women and settling for 20%, denying women affirmative action in party administration and leadership and denying specific seats for women in the National Assembly.
“The men of the 9th NASS by their actions have taken us backwards. Their actions undermine the importance and relevance of women’s contribution to the governance of Nigeria including the key role women play to bring victory to political parties in elections at all levels across the country. They also voted against diaspora voting!
“Nigerian women therefore demand that all gender Bills be reconsidered. Ultimately, our demands will benefit not just women but Nigeria as a whole. More women in governance will only bring progress, and respect for Nigeria in the committee of nations. We cannot, in 2022, be negotiating the rights of women and the sanctity of the dignity of girls. We call on the National Assembly to re-present these Bills as a matter of urgency and ensure that they are passed,” the statement read.
The groups which issued the statement include 9jafeminista, Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls, Above Whispers Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, ACTS Generation GBV, Ade Grange Child Foundation, ADEM Community Human, Development Foundation, Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF), Advocate for Health and Development Initiative, African Women’s Initiative (AWI), Ajegunle Community Project, Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation, Alliances for Africa (AfA), Amazing Grace Inspirations, Aminchi Women Cooperative Society, Amnesty International Nigeria, ARDA Development Communication Inc, Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation, ASWHAN, ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF), BLECCA Foundation, Bring Back Our Girls, Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF), Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Cece Yara Foundation, Cedar Seed Foundation, CEE-HOPE Nigeria, Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA), Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG), Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA), Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN), Centre for Peace Education and Community Development.
Others are Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN), Change Managers International Network, Charity Women Spring of Salvation, Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI), Choung-Dung Women Association, Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS), Christian Women in Nigerian Politics, Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR), Community and Youth Development, Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI), Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society, Community Life Project (CLP), Community Rescue Initiative (CRI), Community Women Initiatives (CWI), Country Associates Network (CAN), Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL), Crestville Development Foundation (CDF), Daria Media Foundation (DMF), Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI).
Diaspora Womanifesto2019, Dinidari Foundation (DF), Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation), Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives, Edo Women’s Development Initiative, Education As A Vaccine (EVA), EiE Nigeria, Emerge Women (EW), Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EARC), Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF), Equity Advocates/ The Woman Today Newspaper, FACICP Disability Plus, FAME Foundation, Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON), Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI), FIDA Nigeria, First Future Leadership, Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM), FRED, Gender Action Awareness Trust, Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN), Gender and Development Action (GADA), Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI), Gender Awareness Trust (GAT), Gender Development Initiative.
Gender Equality Center, Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre, Gender Technical Unit (GTU), Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives, Girl Child Africa, Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation, Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC), Girls Power Initiative (GPI), Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC), Green Spring Development Initiative, Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation, Heal Disability Initiative, Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative, Health Reform Foundation Of Nigeria (HERFON), HEIR Women Development (HWD), Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development, Hope for New Life (HNL), Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD), Inter Africa Committee (IAC), Inter Gender Peace Foundation (IGPF), International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network (IANSA), International Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida Nigeria), International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN).
International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), International Women Communication Centre (IRIAD), Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF), Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing, Jana Health Foundation (JHF), Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP), Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM), KMashi Gamji Women, Kebetkache Women Development And Resources Centre, Kimpact Initiatives (KI), Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI), League of Queens International Empowerment (LQIE), League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV),LEDAP, Lift Initiative, MBULA Women Association, Media &Teens Network, Media Concern Initiative, MODAC, Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome, More Women in Politics, My Voice My Future NGO, Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT), National Centre for Women Development, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women, Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation, Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN), Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA), NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society, Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ), Nigeria For Women Project, Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee, Nigerian Express, Nigerian Women Politics Forum, Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF).
Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI), Ogun Women Alive, Olive Community Development Initiatives, Onomese Foundation, Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD), Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative, Ovie Brume Foundation, Partners West Africa, Peasant Dragnet, Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI), Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Ray of Hope Community Foundation, Relief Development Initiative Kaduna, Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative, Sesor Empowerment Foundation, She Forum Africa, Sheforshe Africa Initiative, Shout Global Health, Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON), South- South Professional Women Association, Stand to End Rape (STER), Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation, Support For Needy Children And Women Initiative (SUNCHI).
TechHerNG, The Inclusion Project (TIP), The Priceless Jewels Foundation, THR Media – HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE, Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation, Transformation and Development Center (TDC), Transition Monitoring Group, Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF), UC Women Commission, UN Women, Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI), Voice of Ogun Women (VOW), West African Network for Peace, Widows Development Organization (WIDO), Woman-Being Concern Nigeria (WBC), Women’s Leadership Group (WLG), Women &Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN), Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC),Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative, Women Youth and Children Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT), Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON), Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI), Women Empowerment and Initiative Development, Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC), Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI), Women Environmental Programme (WEP), Women Farmers Alliance (WFA).
Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE), Women for Women International (W4WI), Women Foundation Initiative (WFI), Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN), Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center (WAPGADEC), Former Women Action Organization (WAO), Women in Africa Initiative (WIAI), Women in Agriculture (WIA), Women in Mining (WIM), Women in Politics Forum (WiPF), Women Information Network (WINET), Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE), Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI), Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN), Women Lead Agric (WLA), Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Women of Vision Development Initiative, Women Protection Organization (WOPO), Women Wing of The Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI), Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program, Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF, Women Right to Education Programme (WREP), Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri, Women’s Rights and Health Project, Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), Working Moms Africa (WMA), Wumi Asubiaro Dada, Victoria Sylvester, Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI), Zonta International Club of Lagos 1.
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