By Chimezie Godfrey
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre CISLAC has urged the National Assembly to put measures to ensure political parties amend their constitutions that will allow emergence of women into elective positions.
In a statement, the Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani salutes Nigerian women who despite the double exploitation, discrimination, and segregation are still making positive contribution towards Socio-Economic and political development in Nigeria.
He said although Nigerians expressed their desires during the consultation and public hearing processes of the constitutional amendment conducted across all geopolitical zones, the recent actions of the National Assembly in voting against all affirmative action related bills does not reflect the aspirations of Nigerians in bridging the gaps and ensuring affirmative action as it is being done all over the world.
Rafsanjani noted that despite the fact that women made up to 47% of registered voters in the 2019 general election, and also, housewives shown to have been the third highest turnout of voters in among nine (9) different categories of voters in 2015, only 6.5% women currently hold elective and/or appointive positions.
According to him, the continued poor participation (representation) of women in Nigeria has multi-dimensional implications for Nigeria’s democracy and for the continuing quest for gender equality in Nigeria as Africa’s biggest economy.
He therefore urged the NASS to ensure that political parties make inclusive party decisions that engender emergence of women into elective positions.
He said,”This year, 2022, CISLAC is making the following demands towards achieving gender equality in the country:
“CISLAC is urging that the Legislature puts measures to ensure that political parties amend their constitutions and make deliberate efforts for inclusive party decision making, as well as emergence of women into elective positions.
“CISLAC is urging government at all levels to adopt collective solutions to improve sexual and reproductive health rights in Nigeria.
“We are urging government at all levels to implement strategies that has the potential of reducing financial hardships caused by climate shocks with it attendant likelihood of school dropouts of girls, resulting in child marriages, teenage pregnancies, and sexual trafficking of girls and women.
“We demand the government to fully implement the Safe School Initiative to guarantee the safety of school children, especially the girl child.
“We Demand relevant authorities to provide the enabling platforms for reporting cases of sexual exploitation and prosecute reported cases.
“We demand that the state governments adopt and implement the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015.
“We demand that the dysfunctional and poor access to health care for women which leads to maternal mortality and malnutrition be remedied.
“On this note, we ride on the opportunity of the International Women’s Day 2022 and in alliance with the theme of this year’s celebration, Gender Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow #BreakTheBias by bridging the gap of the growing gender disparity in the country.”
