From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
100 Women Lobby Group has sought the support and commitment of the relevant committees in the Kaduna State House of Assembly towards five amendment bills popularly referred to as gender bills in the 9th National Assembly.
Though the State Assembly is yet to set up its various committees as tradition demands because it is barely a month old, the group was optimistic that when eventually set up, the relevant committees would be supportive in making those amendments become realities.
The Sun reports that as a part of the Constitution Review process, the 9th National Assembly voted against five “gender bills”, aimed at addressing certain issues affecting women and, in so doing, promoting women’s rights to citizenship, indigeneship, and political inclusion and participation.
Kaduna State Coordinator of 100 Women Lobby Group Mrs Sophie Akut, who was accompanied by other members of the Group had on Tuesday, visited the Clerk of Committees in the State Assembly to seek his support and commitment on the revisit of gender bills.
According to her, the rejected gender bills seek to amend relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to promote non-discrimination and gender equity.
Breaking down the five bills she said, “The bill on citizenship seeks to amend section 26 to grant citizenship to foreign husbands of Nigerian women as it is currently guaranteed in section 26 (2) (a) for foreign wives of Nigerian men.
“The indigeneship bill is to among others amend sections 31 and 318 (1) to allow women to claim their husbands’ state after at least five years of marriage.
“The affirmative action bill is to mainly amend section 223 of the Constitution to ensure women occupy at least 35 per cent political party administration and appointive positions.
“The bill on ministerial or commissioner nomination is to amend sections 147 and 192 so that at least 35 per cent of the nominees are women while the reserved seat bill is to among others, amend sections 48, 49 and 91, to create additional 37, 74, and 108 seats for women at the Senate, House of Representatives, and State
Assemblies, respectively.
“Each of the bills aims to ensure women are unhindered in enjoying the dividends of our hard-earned 24-year-old democracy by ensuring they have unfettered access to contribute to the growth of our democracy and the overall development of the Country’, she noted.
Responding, the Clerk of Committees in the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Musa Abdullahi promised to work with the Group as soon as the relevant committees are firmed by the House.
“As soon as the committees are formed, we are going to sensitise the members and possibly inform you so you too can pay them a courtesy visit to share this information with them to secure their possible,” he said.