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Again, women group storms NASS complex, protests gender discriminatory bills
This was in honour of the International Women’s Day, with the group spearheaded by Felicia Onibon, the group’s President.
According to Onibon, the celebration “is an opportunity for Nigerian women to lend their voices to the development of the country and it is a shame for the lawmakers to discriminate against women.
“We are being denied the rights to make the country great especially considering our crucial roles in the homefront. We are asking the NASS to rescind their decision in order to ensure the inclusion of women in governance.”
Last week, a number of civil society groups made up mostly of women on blocked the entrance to the National Assembly, Abuja in protest against how lawmakers voted against a bill that would have created special seats at the National and State Houses of Assembly for women.
The protest was to register their displeasure over the rejection of gender equality bill by the lawmakers during the review of the constitution the day before.
One of its coordinators, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, had said the women would not back down until all gender bills in the constitution amendment exercise were reconsidered by the National Assembly.
Akiyode-Afolabi, the Founding Director of Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre, said the women would “demand an urgent meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly for them to reconsider the the gender bills.”
