A member of the National Assembly, Sen. Biodun Olujimi, says it is expedient for Nigeria, as signatory to UN Convention on Elimination of Discrimination against Women, to promulgate Gender Equality law.
Olujimi, who is the Deputy Minority Whip of the Senate, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
NAN recalls that a Bill on gender equality which was before the senate was rejected through a popular vote by the senators on March 15, 2016, when it failed to scale second reading.
It was, however, represented after some modifications and it scaled through second reading on Sept. 29.
It is titled, “A Bill for an Act to Incorporate and Enforce Certain Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Protocol of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women In Africa, and Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2016 (SB. 301).’’
The lawmaker was reacting to fears that the bill may suffer another setback following recent concerns by some notable Nigerians on it.
She told NAN that the bill was developed from a document that Nigeria was signatory to, adding that it was signed as a major component for the States to domesticate it.
“It is not anything that was discovered by anybody or something that is coming from the blues.
“The bill came after the Beijing Conference to which Nigeria acceded to and so it becomes binding on Nigeria to also make good its talk on being part of the decision,’’ she said.
Olujimi expressed concern that efforts to pass the bill in the legislature failed in the past due to fears that it contradicted some religious and cultural beliefs.
According to her, as much Nigerians have the right to practice the religion of their choices, the National Assembly has the duty to make laws to protect the rights of all citizens, including women.
She further said that the national assembly, as part of its responsibilities, was bound to protect Nigerians that were not protected by their various traditions.
`I believe that we all have the right within the context of the Constitution of Nigeria and as women, we also have the right to aspire to be what we want to be.
“Religion is private to all. It is not what you bring into lawmaking,’’ the lawmaker said.
She added that “if some religions, for instance, took care of inheritance, I am a Christian and I need to be protected within the laws.
“There is a need for me to support the bill which is a comprehensive bill that guides what we do to our gender.
“It doesn’t have to do with religion. The moment we keep bringing religion into legislation, it will make nonsense of all we have achieved so far.’’
She expressed optimism that the bill would scale through third reading and passed, adding that a public hearing on the bill would come up in two weeks.
The lawmaker urged the executive to also play its part by signing the bill into law when passed, “for posterity sake’’.
She pointed out that, in the event that the bill was passed by the senate and it was not signed into law, “the burden of guilt will shift from the legislature to the executive’’.
The bill is targeted at an Act will eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and provide the girl-child access to education, right to freedom and right against sexual abuse.
It will also promote freedom for women to participate in any economic activity as well as guarantee equal opportunity for all Nigerian citizens irrespective of gender. (NAN)
CJM/NNL/AAB/OPI
