By Martha Irere
The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) has called on members of the National Assembly to address the gross imbalance against Nigerian Women.
The National President of NCWS, Mrs Laraba Shoda, made the call at a news conference in Abuja, while reacting to the five rejected constitution alteration bills for women.
Shoda said that the passage of the bill would have signified the end to bias and discrimination against Nigerian women.
She noted that the official figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) showed that Nigerian women form half of the country’s population.
She, however, said that this did not reflect on political participation, representation, or in the management of public affairs.
“We have 13 women in the House of Representatives and eight in the Senate. This means that we are grossly under-represented in the decision making processes in the country,” she said.
Shoda stated that the NCWS, as the umbrella body of all women organisations and groups in Nigeria, considered the rejection of the bill as a sad state of affairs.
”Indeed, over the years, we have watched with alarm and sadness as the number of women in Nigeria’s states and federal parliament dwindled,” she said.
Shoda called on the ninth assembly to stand tall and be on the right side of history; by immediately looking at ways to redress the gross imbalance.
“Let our men in the National Assembly do the needful to reverse this unfortunate situation, so history will look favourably upon them. The world is watching and history is being written as we speak.
“Nigerian women should not be made irrelevant to the progress and future of this country. Our voices deserve to be heard.
“We urge all women: to contact their representatives in both Chambers, and urge them to have a rethink on what can at best be described as unfair and unjust.
” Let us reject bias and discrimination. and let us do what we know are the right measures for the progress of our country,” she said.
