Speaker pledges support to gender bills, urges early advocacy
…as UN women signs MoU with Speaker
By Tom Okpe
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Tujudeen Abbas, has promised to support the gender bills, expected to improve political opportunities for women, equally, to increase their number in the legislature.
Abbas made this assertions at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between his office and the United Nations, UN, Women to ultimately, increase women participation in politics on Thursday, in Abuja.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rep Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Speaker Abbas, called for early lobbying and advocacy on the bills to get the buy-in of not only, lawmakers in the parliament but, other stakeholders and concerned parties in rural communities.
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“I have always advocated that women, if you want to push this, you need to start early to advocate, set up the structure. I’m happy that things like this are coming on board.
“I’m also, happy to express my satisfaction and that of the Speaker, signing the MoU that will take place today for joint advocacy efforts on the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill and women’s parliamentary seats.
“Many of them will come on board, which will be used as tools, towards lobbying the men, constituents, who have sent their Representatives here, these Representatives don’t make decision on their own.
“So, the advocacy should not only be within the people’s parliament, it should go beyond that and go into the rural areas, the constituents.
“Let them know why we want to do this, let them see the comparative analysis between our country and other countries, let them see what we are missing by not going this route all this while, and let them see what we are going to gain, if we go this route.
“These are key things that the advocacy should be able to highlight. I am sure, the MoU will go beyond the Bill, the ‘Gender Equality Opportunity Bill,’ and it will go into capacity development and youth legislative mentorship initiatives.
“Let me mention that I am in the forefront of the sponsorship of this bill. I’m carrying it on my head and my shoulders, but I can’t do it alone. These people who are seated here must have a buy in, but I won’t be the one, convincing them alone. You have a lot of work to do.
“Women parliamentary seats will increase. How we are going to structure it, no matter how, let’s start from somewhere,” he said.
Earlier in her remarks, the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Ms Beatrice Eyong said they were at the National Assembly to seek support of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House with regards to giving the women, leadership opportunities to contribute their quota to the rapid growth and development of Nigeria.
“UN women works with parliaments in different countries, because parliaments, represent the people. UN Women works for the people. Parliaments enact laws. UN Women is looking for favorable legal frameworks that will allow women and girls, use their full potentials.
“When we look at the rating in Africa, or ECOWAS, Nigeria seems to be going maybe the lowest. But this is not what we are here to talk about. We are here to talk about desire of the parliament to bring about sustainable development.
“That’s why we are here today, we find in leadership of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker that understand these issues and that believe that if our women are given the opportunity, Nigeria will develop rapidly more than if we leave them outside.
“We are here today to sign an MoU which has been shared by the two institutions, to put our forces together so that we can change the narrative of this wonderful, strong, beautiful country,” she said.
