By Muhammad Nur Tijani
A Coalition of Women-led Organisations has presented a Gender Bill seeking the creation of additional reserved seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly.
The bill was presented during the Zonal Public Hearing of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review held in Kano on Saturday.
Dr Mohamed Yahya, who led the coalition, said the proposed legislation aims to address the persistent underrepresentation of women in elective positions across the country.
He said the bill proposed 37 additional seats in the Senate, one per state and one for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to be exclusively reserved for women.
Yahya added that the bill also sought one additional seat in the House of Representatives for women from every three Senatorial Districts, totalling 47 seats nationwide.
“In addition, the bill proposes three special seats for women in each state house of assembly, based on the existing senatorial zones,” he revealed.
Yahya noted that the goal was to promote gender inclusion and equitable representation in governance in line with democratic values.
“Democracy is a game of numbers. Women constitute over 45 to 49 per cent of Nigerian voters but remained grossly underrepresented,” he lamented.
Also speaking, Malama Habiba Ahmed, Senior Programmes Officer, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), urged the government to adopt and implement the proposed legislation.
Ahmed stressed the need for electoral reforms, including an independent process for appointing the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to strengthen democratic institutions and promote gender inclusion.
“We are calling on the government to ensure that the Special Reserved Seats for Women Bill is accepted, passed and implemented to enhance women’s participation in politics and governance,” she advocated.
The coalition comprises organisations such as; FIDA, WACOL, PONGWAN, WOWIKAN and WRAPA, with support from UN Women and other partners.
It is also glaring that the groups are committed to advancing the inclusion of women in public life and leadership roles.
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