A coalition of women groups have called on the stakeholders in the National Assembly leadership tussle to ensure a woman occupies the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The group consists of Women Lobby Group, Feminist Womanifesto, Change Managers International Network, and Gender Technical Unit (GTU) among 18 others.
The executive director of the Gender Technical Unit (GTU), Ekwunife Anazonwu who spoke for the other groups, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday called for the inclusion of women as presiding and principal officers in the National Assembly.
The women groups’ spokesperson said at least two women should be elected as main principal officers in the House of Representatives.
She added that women from both chambers are elected to chair Grade A committees, and that more resources be allocated to pursue an equal society.
“It is vital for legislatures to reflect the rich tapestry of their constituents. By consciously repositioning the few elected women, legislatures can benefit from a wide range of perspectives and experiences, leading to better decision-making, fairer policies, and a stronger democracy.
“As women leaders from various organizations in Nigeria, desirous to see an inclusive governance structure and system in Nigeria in the current administration. We are concerned that for years Nigeria has not been able to live up to expectations concerning the representation of women.
“As of February 2023, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) ranks Nigeria 183 out of 193 countries in Women’s Representation in National Parliaments. In, the current 10th National Assembly, there is a reduction from eight women in the Senate to three, while in the House of Representatives, only 14 women were elected compared to the 13 in the outgoing 9th Assembly,” she said.
Anazonwu further said that currently, women represent about 44 percent of Nigeria’s voting population, yet less than 5% of the 1,553 women who contested the 2023 Elections across Nigeria were elected.
She further said that despite the consistent push for increased representation of women in politics–elective and appointive positions, the just concluded 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections show alarming underrepresentation of women.
She explained that for instance, of the 1,459 Legislative seats at the state and national levels, so far, women have won only 75 seats, that alarmingly, there are 15 states without a single woman in their State House of Assembly.
“It is no wonder that. In Nigeria’s 24 years of democracy, no woman has been Senate President or Deputy Senate President. Patricia Etteh is the only woman to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives from June to October 2007. Hon. Mulikat Akande was the first woman elected as Majority Leader at the Federal Legislative level in 2011.
“We believe that more women need to be elected as presiding officers and Principal officers’ positions in the National Assembly of Nigeria, particularly the House of Representatives irrespective of the current numbers.
“These women represent about 50 percent of Nigeria’s population and this should be reflected in the parliament’s leadership as provided for in the National Gender Policy 2022. This is a matter of equity and social inclusion,” she said.
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