Nigeria women are disappointed and aggrieved at the actions of the 9th National Assembly (NASS) today Tuesday March 1, 2022 when they denied women the opportunity of inclusion and representation in governance by voting against the gender bills.
The NASS has spoken loud and clear that they do not want progress for society: for mothers, aunties, sisters, wives, and for daughters.
It is particularly sad that in a month globally dedicated to celebrating women worldwide, our NASS has chosen to deny women basic human rights. These are rights enjoyed by every Nigerian except women.
The proposed gender bills in the 5th Constitution Alteration Bills that were all rejected are Bills targeted at addressing the current gender imbalance across the legislative arm of governments across the country whilst reducing the under-representation of women in political office.
The men of the 9th NASS have reinforced the discrimination and political bias against women as enshrined in the 1999 constitution by:
Denying citizenship to a foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman. (While it allows Nigerian men’s foreign-born wives to be awarded automatic citizenship).
Denying Nigerian women indigeneity through marriage.
Denying 35% appointed positions for women and settling for 20%.
Denying women affirmative action in party administration and leadership.
Denying specific seats for women in the National Assembly.
The men of the 9th NASS by their actions have taken us backwards. Their actions undermine the importance and relevance of women’s contribution to the governance of Nigeria including the key role women play to bring victory to political parties in elections at all levels across the country. They also voted against diaspora voting!
Nigerian women therefore demand that all gender Bills be reconsidered. Ultimately, our demands will benefit not just women but Nigeria as a whole. More women in governance will only bring progress, and respect for Nigeria in the committee of nations. We cannot, in 2022, be negotiating the rights of women and the sanctity of the dignity of girls. We call on the National Assembly to re-present these Bills as a matter of urgency and ensure that they are passed.
Read also: Women besiege NASS over death of pro-female bills
We the undersigned are WOMEN OF NIGERIA:
9jafeminista
Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls
Above Whispers Foundation
Action Aid Nigeria
ACTS Generation GBV
Ade Grange Child Foundation
ADEM Community Human Development Foundation
Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)
Advocate for Health and Development Initiative
African Women’s Initiative (AWI)
Ajegunle Community Project
Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation
Alliances for Africa (AfA)
Amazing Grace Inspirations
Aminchi Women Cooperative Society
Amnesty International Nigeria
ARDA Development Communication Inc.
Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation.
ASWHAN
ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF)
BLECCA Foundation
Bring Back Our Girls
Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF)
Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
Cece Yara Foundation
Cedar Seed Foundation
CEE-HOPE Nigeria
Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA)
Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG)
Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA)
Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN)
Centre for Peace Education and Community Development
Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN)
Change Managers International Network
Charity Women Spring of Salvation
Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society
Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative (CCAPI)
Choung-Dung Women Association.
Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS)
Christian Women in Nigerian Politics
Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR)
Community and Youth Development
Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)
Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society
Community Life Project (CLP)
Community Rescue Initiative (CRI)
Community Women Initiatives (CWI)
Country Associates Network (CAN)
Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL)
Crestville Development Foundation (CDF)
Daria Media Foundation (DMF)
Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI)
Diaspora Womanifesto2019
Dinidari Foundation (DF)
Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF)
Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation)
Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives
Edo Women’s Development Initiative
Education As A Vaccine (EVA)
EiE Nigeria
Emerge Women (EW)
Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EARC)
Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF)
Equity Advocates/ The Woman Today Newspaper
FACICP Disability Plus
FAME Foundation
Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON)
Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN)
Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN)
Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)
Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI)
FIDA Nigeria
First Future Leadership
FOMWAN
Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM)
FRED
Gender Action Awareness Trust
Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)
Gender and Development Action (GADA)
Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI)
Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
Gender Development Initiative
Gender Equality Center
Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre
Gender Technical Unit (GTU)
Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives
Girl Child Africa
Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation
Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC)
Girls Power Initiative (GPI)
Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC)
Green Spring Development Initiative
Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation
Heal Disability Initiative
Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative
Health Reform Foundation Of Nigeria(HERFON)
HEIR Women Development (HWD)
Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development
Hope for New Life (HNL)
Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD)
Inter Africa Committee (IAC)
Inter Gender Peace Foundation (IGPF)
International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network (IANSA)
International Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida Nigeria)
International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN)
International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH)
International Women Communication Centre (IRIAD)
Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF)
Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing
Jana Health Foundation (JHF)
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP)
Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM)
KMashi Gamji Women
Kebetkache Women Development And Resources Centre
Kimpact Initiatives (KI)
Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI)
League of Queens International Empowerment (LQIE)
League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV)
LEDAP
Lift Initiative
MBULA Women Association
Media &Teens Network.
Media Concern Initiative
MODAC
Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome
More Women in Politics
My Voice My Future NGO
Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT)
Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
National Centre for Women Development
National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)
NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women
Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation
Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN
Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA)
NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society
Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
Nigeria For Women Project
Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee
Nigerian Express
Nigerian Women Politics Forum
Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF)
Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI)
Ogun Women Alive
Olive Community Development Initiatives
Onomese Foundation
Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD)
Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)
Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative
Ovie Brume Foundation
Partners West Africa
Peasant Dragnet
Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)
Project Alert on Violence Against Women
Ray of Hope Community Foundation
Relief Development Initiative Kaduna
Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
Sesor Empowerment Foundation
She Forum Africa
Sheforshe Africa Initiative
Shout Global Health
Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON)
South- South Professional Women Association.
Stand to End Rape (STER)
Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation
Support For Needy Children And Women Initiative (SUNCHI)
TechHerNG
The Inclusion Project (TIP)
The Priceless Jewels Foundation
THR Media – HERFESSIONS INITIATIVE
Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation
Transformation and Development Center (TDC)
Transition Monitoring Group
Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF)
UC Women Commission
UN Women
Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI)
Voice of Ogun Women (VOW)
West African Network for Peace
Widows Development Organization (WIDO)
Woman-Being Concern Nigeria (WBC)
Women’s Leadership Group (WLG)
Women &Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN)
Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD)
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC)
Women Aid Collective (WACOL)
Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative
Women Youth and Children Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT)
Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI)
Women Empowerment and Initiative Development
Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC)
Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI)
Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
Women Farmers Alliance (WFA)
Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE)
Women for Women International (W4WI)
Women Foundation Initiative (WFI)
Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN)
Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center (WAPGADEC)
Former Women Action Organization (WAO)
Women in Africa Initiative (WIAI)
Women in Agriculture (WIA)
Women in Mining (WIM)
Women in Politics Forum (WiPF)
Women Information Network (WINET)
Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE)
Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI)
Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN)
Women Lead Agric (WLA)
Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Women of Vision Development Initiative
Women Protection Organization (WOPO)
Women Wing of The Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN)
Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI)
Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program
Women Aid Collective (WACOL)
Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF
Women Right to Education Programme (WREP)
Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri
Women’s Rights and Health Project
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)
Working Moms Africa (WMA)
Wumi Asubiaro Dada
Victoria Sylvester
Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI)
Zonta International Club of Lagos 1
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