As the world marks yet another International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022, with the campaign theme #BreaktheBias, Project Alert on Violence Against Women cannot but note the extreme bias and discrimination against women in Nigeria by federal legislators at the recent plenary session during which they voted on 68 bills seeking to amend the 1999 constitution. The legislators (95.5% men) voted against bills seeking to end gender discrimination in the constitution such as citizenship for foreign husbands of Nigerian women; “statelessness” of married Nigerian women; 35% affirmative action in party administration & leadership; 35% political appointment positions for women; diaspora voting etc.
The actions of the federal legislators speak volumes about the rollback Nigerian women are experiencing in promoting and protecting their rights and achieving gender equality and equity. Nigeria cannot make progress without its women and girls. Project Alert on Violence Against Women along with several other women’s rights and human rights organizations have over the years and decades advocated for and made progress in promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls. We have come a long way and will not allow the 9th National Assembly and its legislators, to take us back. They must #BreaktheBias against Nigerian women. Source: Vanguard
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