Women groups led by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fulfill his campaign promise of promoting Gender equality by adhering to the 35% affirmative action for women in his political appointments.
Speaking in an interview, a member of the campaign for 35% affirmative action and the founding director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC) Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi called on the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement the 35% affirmative action. She reminds the President to take intentional efforts to fulfill his promises of promoting gender equality.
The court in April 2022 upheld the equality of the sexes and the constitutional mandate to recognize gender in all appointive positions adding that Nigerian women should be accorded 35 percent appointive position as a matter of right in line with democratic ethos.
She said the fact that the judgment of the federal high court was based on the Nigerian Gender policy, one will expect the Federal Government will not appeal against the court pronouncement. She said it is even more imperative that the Gender policy be reviewed and adopted again in 2022 while upholding the 35% affirmative action.
“I think it’s an accountability issue and it’s also an issue of political will”, she said. Dr Abiola however remained optimistic that the court of appeal will reaffirm the decision of the federal high court. This according to her will put a ceiling to the conversation on the possibility of government towards affirmative action,” she said.
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