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Ms Comfort Attah, Executive Director, ASHH
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
A number of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) including Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) on Thursday in Bauchi protested over the rejection of bills that take care of gender equality by the National Assembly.
Leading the protest, Executive Director of Attah Sisters Helping Hand (ASHH), Comfort Attah, while addressing Newsmen on behalf of the group in Bauchi, urged the lawmakers to revisit the gender bills.
She lamented that the lawmakers chose to deny women the opportunity of inclusion and representation in governance by voting against the bills.
Comfort Attah explained that out of the 68 bills being considered by the national assembly, about five bills sought to promote women participation in politics, governance and the society.
She lamented that, “One of the bills sought to grant citizenship to foreign-born husbands of a Nigerian woman. Already, a Nigerian man’s foreign-born wife is automatically a Nigerian citizen” .
“Another bill sought to allocate 35 percent of political positions based on appointment to women. Another legislation sought to create special seats for women in National and State Assemblies,” Attah said.
She urged all like-minded civil society organizations, women led organizations and women’s right’s organizations to sustain advocacy and intensify demands for Gender equality.
“By occupying the National Assembly until the rejected bills are considered,” she said.
On her part, Hajiya Aisha Kilishi, Amira of FOMWAN Bauchi, also lamented that lawmakers are not taking women’s issues seriously and said that the lawmakers didn’t consider women to be relevant in this country.
She also said that the men of the ninth assembly have reinforced the discrimination and political bias against women and demanded that all gender bills be reconsidered as they will benefit not just women but Nigeria as a whole.
Also Speaking, Executive Director of Fahimta women and Youth Development Initiative, Hajiya Maryam Garba of lamented that unfortunately the bill was rejected by the National Assembly.
According to her, the lawmakers are discriminating and making a mockery of women’s rights in the country.
She urged the lawmakers, government and policy makers to always consider the plights of women as well as reconsider amendment of the bill.
Representative of the CBOs, Hajiya Binta Adamu, said that the advocacy measures taken would enable the National Assembly and the Senate in particular to retract from the patriarchal dispositions towards giving women equal opportunities.
Our correspondent reports that the Senate at the plenary on Tuesday March 1st voted against the following Gender-responsive Bills submitted for its consideration.
