Still enraged by the rejection by the National Assembly of the bill to address the marginalisation of women in Nigeria, female doctors under the aegis of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) on Tuesday, threatened to rally Nigerian women to vote against politicians that killed the bill in 2023 general election.
National MWAN’s President, Dr Lillian Otolorin, speaking at a media briefing on the occasion of the 2022 International Women’s Day celebration in Ibadan, said female doctors will rally all eligible female voters against such categories of political office seekers in the next elections.
Dr Otolorin, flanked at the briefing by MWAN’s National Treasurer, Dr Olayinka Eyelade, Oyo MWAN’s President, Dr Oyindamola Adeyemi, Dr Gbemisola Daramola, among others, stated that the rejection of the bill was unfortunate and a disservice to women in general as women in Nigeria continues to be victims of gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, rape, child marriage, forced prostitution and lately kidnapping for ransom and ritual killings for money’.
According to her, gender inequality in Nigeria remains a big challenge and female doctors have seen enough to warrant campaigning against the marginalisation of women in all spheres of the country and support only those who show commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of womenfolk.
She unveiled an eight-point agenda designed to be the fulcrum of vigorous and aggressive advocacy to be embarked on by women in the country to guarantee the inclusiveness of women on all fronts.
Dr Otolorin stated that the “shocking rejection of the request of the womenfolk of this country is just another reminder of the widespread discrimination against women in our dear country. Women constitute only 4per cent of the 469 legislators in the current National Assembly even though they represent 49.32 per cent of the population of our country.
“All MWAN members at the National and state levels hereby say a big No to political marginalisation of women; unequal representation of women in decision-making bodies, especially where decisions affecting women are taken; educational disparity against girl child; all forms of gender-based violence; discriminatory employment practices; unpaid labour in the home and inequality in accessing healthcare services.
“Let it be said loud and clear to all politicians who are currently going around seeking for our votes for the 2023 elections that we shall not give our votes to anyone who holds women in contempt and remains inflexible to our above-stated demands.”
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