…. as WRAPA clamours for women representation in govt

By Fortune Eromosele, Abuja

In commemoration of the International Women’s Day, IWD, 2022, Nigerian women drawn from various civil society organisations, have petitioned the National Assembly, NASS, for its refusal to vote in support of gender bills.

The women in a petition entitled “Democracy in Retreat: A Petition by Nigerian Women,” signed by Co-Convener, Womenifesto, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said it is ‘grave’ injustice for NASS to reject assent to the gender bills.

She said, “Women are appalled by the discriminatory and retrogressive tendencies of this denial, we collectively and vehemently reject same as highly retrogressive because of its imminent potential to obliterate the sacrifices of heroines and heroes, even of our forebears during the Aba Women Revolution and it’s historical relevant precedence for African Affirmative Action, that our ancestors thrust on the world scene in 1929.”

They demanded the urgent re-convening, reconsideration, and immediate passage of the five women/gender-related bills; bills numbered 35, 36, 37, 38, and 68.

They also demanded the “passing of the Gender and Equal Opportunities (GEOB) Bill, currently before the senate.

“Resuscitation and the passage of the Bill on ‘support for women participation in elective and appointive positions bill 2020 before the House of Representatives.

“Immediate Domestication of the African Charters Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, which Nigeria ratified in 2004.

“Immediate domestication of the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Nigeria ratified in 1985.

“As our representatives, we demand to know your voting pattern. Women urge our States and National Assembly, to respond in courage and stand with Nigerian women to reject the denial of gender bills as an ill-advised attack on truth, justice, equity and democracy, whilst calling to question the vote pattern of National Assembly members, we want to know how they are voted, who voted for or against, who abstained from voting and from plenary. It is our right to hold representatives accountable or otherwise,” the petition added.

Speaking briefly to journalists after a staged peaceful protest at the National Assembly, Abuja, Programs Manager, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA, Yemisi Nathaniel, said there will be no more dancing to the tune of politicians, adding that it is time for women to be players in government.

Her words, “The votes that are against women, will go down in records. It has never been like this, we are always having this thick skin to bear all of it and at the end of the day there’s no change. We say we are no more dancing for others to get to those positions.

“Women have to get it right this time. It is not a matter of whether we are leading we are only saying it is right for half of the nation. We are all together, we should lead this country together. We’ve all been to school, we have seen where ladies top their classes, why did we not discriminate them?

“Even when we were younger as primary school girls, boys would be lamenting why we took first. It then means that it is not a matter of your sex, let them give us a trial, if our women get there and they do not perform we will hold them accountable but let them have their rights. We don’t want to be the dancers, we are set to be the players.”

Also speaking, President FCT Market Women Association, Sarauniya Erondu, encouraged women to get their Permanent Voters Card, PVC, as well as turn up in their polling units to vote for the right person ahead of the 2023 general elections.

“Women should come out and vote for the right person, the right person that will come out and have mercy on women to be participants in government. No more, women have suffered, we don’t want the suffering to continue,” she said.