Refutation of proposed women Inclusion in the Constitution by lawmakers unwise decision –  CS-CRIN

By Abdullahi Kano

A Civil Society Organization named Conflict Resolution in Nigeria (CS-CRIN), has described the Senate and House of Representatives refutation of five key proposed areas for women inclusion in the Nigeria Constitution as not a wise decision.

 The Executive Director/National Coordinator CS-CRIN, Adeniyi Aremu stated this while addressing journalists in Kano.

Mr. Aseniyi  Aremu said the alteration areas that were rejected include a reserved quota for women in political positions, additional seats for women in the Federal and State Legislatures, citizenship by registration for non-Nigerian men married to Nigerian women, indigeneity through marriage, the 35% affirmative action for women in political party administration in the bill was intended to improve women’s rights, women participation in politics and political representation.

“We termed this rejection as “Legislative Gender-Based Violence (LGBV)” against the women and therefore, call for the viral use of “#NOTOLGBV” in Nigeria.

He noted that CR-CRIN mourns the killing of the Bill at the National Assembly and call the Members of the National Assembly to unequivocally call for the re-presentation of the bill on the floor of both houses as a measure to resurrect the bill, remediate their actions and mitigate perpetual conflicts with women folks in Nigeria.

Time Express Nigeria recalled that the 9th National Assembly (NASS) on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, voted against all proposed gender bills in the 5th Constitution Alteration Bills.

The proposed gender bills in the 5th Constitution Alteration Bills were all targeted at addressing the current gender imbalance across all sections of government with reducing the under-representation of women in political offices in Nigeria.