Ebonyi : UN Women, WACOL Advocates for Gender, Equality Bill In Ebonyi

Nkechinyere Ewa-Okpara

The UN Women in conjunction with Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, WACOL and UN-women Political Participation Group Ebonyi State Chapter friday called on women to lend their voices for the passage of Gender and Equal opportunity Bill in the state.

In a stakeholder meeting to advocate for the passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, and other gender responsive legislation, electoral and constitutional reform and women roadmap to 2027 general elections funded by the Government of Canada, Helen Kalu from WACOL explained that the aim was to enhance women’s representation and participation in politics and governance in Ebonyi state through the adoption of constitutional and legislative reforms that are gender inclusive and supportive of women’s political aspirations as well as political parties’ action and state-positive steps to ensure equitable representation.

The meeting took place at Cirenes Hotel in Abakaliki Ebonyi State capital on Friday, September 20th.

Kalu noted that the passage of the Bill should be a platform that women would leverage to showcase their potential. She urged women to be steadfast in contributing to national development.

Speaking on Understanding Gender Equality Opportunities Bill, and other Legal Reforms, Prof. Mariam Mustapha from the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies pointed out that Nigeria has one of the lowest numbers of female representation, ranking 181st out of 193 countries with only 3.6% female representation in the parliament.

According to Prof Mustapha, women hold only 9.8% of local government seats, only 30.3% hold managerial positions, and Nigerian women rank 27.3% in the financial inclusion index.

She said, “the consequences of gender inequality in Nigeria are evident in the pervasiveness of sexual violence against women; disproportionate experience in conflicts between men and women; setback experienced by women occasioned by childbirth; rape; and sex trafficking.
Denial of or discouraging girl child education (thereby perpetuating the cycle of poverty and inequality) Low economic status of women because of undervaluation of their work; Exclusion of women from national and international decision-making bodies (thereby inhibiting their ability to affect policies that perpetuate the above-mentioned manifestations of inequality).

“In light of the above background, it is not out of place for efforts like the Gender Equal Opportunities Bill to emerge in Nigeria, Ebonyi State inclusive. Gender Equal Opportunities Bill is therefore conceived against the backdrop of the pervasiveness of gender inequality in Nigeria, and we are advocating its passage for Ebonyi State.” She said.

Mustapha who commended Ebonyi State government for appointing women into different political positions, said the bill if passed into law, provides for equal opportunities for all persons and prohibits all forms of gender-based discriminations and inequalities in Ebonyi State and other related matters.

“The law is made up of 7 Parts of 46 sections The provisions of the Bill are to protect our fathers, mothers, daughters, sisters, sons, Nieces, nephews and wives from any form of abuse, violence, discrimination; and to make them enjoy life in its fullest in the area of education, health, employment and decision making.

Chairperson UN-women Political Participation working Group in Ebonyi State Stella Okechukwu-Kalu said the group is pushing for policies and laws that promotes Women’s political participation and representation and they will continue to lend their voices for the benefit of women especially in the rural areas.

“We hope to do more community outreaches to the rural areas. The mandate is on our shoulders for more women to participate in politics.
With capacity building, women will know that they have potential that can be enhanced.

Mrs. Ugo Nnachi former head of service Ebonyi State, Dr.Ngozi Obichukwu, Commissioner for Aviation and Rosemary Ezeobi from the media among others at the meeting said the gender equality Bill is coming at the right time and expressed hope that all the women will lend their voices for its full implementation and mainstream in the state.

Ugo Nnachi emphasised that the government should create better opportunities for women to be part of decision-making in the country.

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