The United Nations has called on Nigeria to heed the calls of half of its population and electorate by adopting measures that will ensure greater representation and participation of women in governance.
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An agency of the global body, UN Women in a statement on Wednesday lamented that presently Nigeria is no where near her status of leading democracy in Africa in the area of women representation in governance.
The statement said: “Presently, Nigeria lags behind African countries like Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Tunisia, Senegal, Uganda and Cape Verde, which have adopted constitutions and other national laws that provide for equal rights and opportunities, including the Special Seats or Proportional Representation System.
“In line with its standard-setting role as a leading democracy in Africa, it is time for Nigeria to heed the calls of half of its population and electorate, and to adopt similar measures that will ensure greater representation and participation of women in governance.”
The statement further read: “We salute women in the National Assembly for sponsoring important bills which seek to promote more inclusive and sustainable development in Nigeria. We acknowledge the Senate in particular, for its passage of Bill 36 related to the Expansion of the Scope of Citizenship by Registration and Bill 38 related to Indigeneship rights. We also hail the House of Representatives for passing the Affirmative Action Bill in the appointment of Ministers and Commissioners. However, UN Women has noted with disappointment and regret that the bills failed to gather the required votes needed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives for passage and subsequent transmission to the State Assemblies.”
The statement quoted the UN Women Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Comfort Lamptey to have said: “We salute women’s rights organisations at the grassroots, state, and national levels who continue relentlessly to advocate equal rights for women in the constitution and legislative framework in Nigeria.
“Today more than ever, the experiences and expertise of Nigerian women are needed in designing Nigerian laws and policies to make them beneficial to both female and male interests without exclusion or discrimination.”
The statement said as the month of March is globally recognized as Women’s rights month, it is therefore disheartening and ironic that Bills relating to the progress of women and the Nigerian nation at large were rejected on the first day of March. Importantly.
Lamptey noted that: “Nigeria has an obligation based on international and regional commitments to adopt legislation that will help remove barriers preventing current and future generations of women from the right to participate in public life and the enjoyment of their human rights as full citizens in a democratic state.”
For Nigeria to meet its deepest aspirations in the race to attain the Sustainable Development Goals targets, investment in women’s leadership is critical, the statement noted while stressing that “UN Women remains resolute in our commitment to support Nigeria along this path.”
The UN Women however promised that: “As Nigeria heads to the 2023 elections, we will support women’s leadership including that of young women aspiring for political office and promote a peaceful and enabling environment for women to fully participate as voters and candidates; and we will continue to support Nigeria to promote and adopt non-discriminatory and inclusive legislation and policies, to build a nation that truly leaves no one behind.”
