Politics
POLICY and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) on Monday pleaded with the National Assembly to begin a process of making laws in favour of more women participation in politics.
PLAC Executive Director Clement Nwankwo made the call at a roundtable on: ”Improving Women’s Political Participation and Inclusion in Nigeria” on monday.
The roundtable was organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Women in Parliament, supported by European Union.
Nwankwo said that a situation where Nigeria had five per cent of women representatives and 95 per cent of men was totally unacceptable.
“Even in states, women are hardly accord women as commissioners we have about 999 legislators in this country only 48 are women this is completely unacceptable.
“So we will urge all legislators to take this as an important next step introducing and looking at legislatures that exist that will ensure that more women participate in politics.
“Nobody is going to shift for women to take the space, so women and the men must make the demand on the system.
”This country must adopt special temporary measure to ensure that we have women take up their place in governance.
“This may mean tampering with some of the laws that allow for women to be given priority and advancement in politics,” he said.
Nwankwo said that PLAC had articulated some recommendations and would be submitting this to the committee in National Assembly on how to enable women to participate in politics.
“Men are not going to give the space, even when you talked about the reduction in age, no older person is going to give the space for a younger person to take a space.
”There must be legislatures to redirect the aspirations of people so that we can have more women in the meeting room, more women in the power room and in governance,” he said
Nwankwo urged women legislatures to support such laws when they come up for deliberation at the assemblies and be part of agents of change to promote women in governance.
He expressed worry that the political system was discouraging women from participating with violence.
Mr Oluwole Oke, Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, said that there was need for the government to be at the forefront of the fight for gender equality and back its words with action.
Oke said that there was a conspicuous and appalling absence of women at the country’s highest levels of decision-making in spite of mounting evidence that more women in governance meant vital economic development.
He urged political parties to consider incorporating quota systems into their parties and legislatures should also consider passing into law 35 per cent female representation in the cabinet as per gender policy.
Chief Kemi Nelson, a politician and women advocate, advised women to stop late minutes approach to politics.
Nelson also called on female politicians to learn to groom their fellow women so as to have strong and experienced women vying for positions. (NAN)
– Nov. 26, 2019 @ 9:09 GMT |
Tags: CSO wants laws to enhance women participation in politics
