ABUJA: Senate’s Rejection of Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill Meets Public Disapproval

GENDER and Equal Opportunity Bill which was met a brick wall at the second reading in the Senate yesterday has continued to attract public condemnation against the members of the Senate.

The Bill was proposed towards the elimination of discrimination against women in the country thereby promoting equality, development and advancement of all persons in Nigeria as well as promoting women’s freedom of movement, female economic activity and girls’ access to education.

Sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujinmi (PDP, Ekiti) in the Senate, the bill seeks to incorporate and enforce certain provisions of the United Nations CEDAW and other global/continental instruments on the rights of women in Africa.

She perceptively expressed concerns on discrimination against women in marriage, divorce, property/land ownership and inheritance stating that the plight of the women in the society seemingly reduces them as mere bystanders rather than stakeholders, hence requires urgent intervention. 

She however also explained how the Bill seeks adoption of special short-term measures to eliminate discrimination and ensure equal opportunities for all citizens irrespective of gender differences. According to her, the Bill also seeks appropriate measures against gender discrimination in political and public life and prohibitions of violence to women.

Earlier, a gender Activist, Banke Akinrimisi, had urged the National Assembly to expediently pass the Gender and Equal Opportunities bill stating that poverty among women would continue as long as they did not have equal opportunities with men.

She told News agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there was a need for mass mobilisation, sensitisation and education of women and all Nigerians to the benefit of the bill.

Emphatically, Akinrimisi said that the most reliable means of reducing poverty among women was to pass the bill into law but expressed regret that it was facing challenges adding that Nigeria may not meet the MDGs if it fails to pass the bill into law, considering that the provisions of the bill are people-oriented.

"Many African countries might not achieve the MDGs, if the discrimination against women continues, Nigeria inclusive,’’ she said.

Consequently, the gender activist called for the domestication of all international conventions on gender and women’s rights at all levels of the society, considering that development would not be complete without women.

"It is regrettable that despite efforts made by all stakeholders, the CEDAW or gender and equal opportunity bill is yet to be domesticated in Nigeria. We accept this setback while we continue to strive and advocate for its passage by the National Assembly. We hope that sooner than later, they will see the sense in passing laws that will protect and empower the interest of mothers, wives, sisters and daughters in this country of ours,’’ Akinrimisi said.

Analogously, the bill takes after the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international instrument signed by Nigeria in 1985.

In the Senate, the support on the bill was dispirited and unbelievable as only few Senators moved in its support. Those in favour includes,

Senators Bala Na’Allah, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Senator Ndume, Senator Raji-Rasaki and Senator Garba.

Speaking against the Bill, among others, were: Senator Rufai ahmed, Adamu Aliero, Emmanuel Bwacha, among others.

Following the controversies, the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki resorted to putting it to vote which disappointingly scored against the bill.

A similar bill was sponsored by Senator Chris Anyawu in the seventh Assembly,and suffered same fate.

In a statement signed by his special adviser on Gender Issues, Fatima Kakuri, the Senate President assured that it is not yet over for the bill adding that the bill be represented after reviews to expunge some areas that have conflicts with the beliefs and tradition of some areas in the country.

“Today, we discussed the Domestication of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention Eliminating all forms of discrimination against women under 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 to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, and Other Matters Connected Therewith. 

"As I said during the International Womens Day last week, I am of the opinion that there are substantial parts of the bill that are crucial to the development of our nation such as the Equal Access to Education, strengthening of the laws on Violence against Women, Ending Abduction of girls, Sustenance and Promotion of Entrepreneurship opportunities, Gender Mainstreaming and Gender equality, female participation in governance, among others.

"Unfortunately, the bill suffered a slight set back because there were some parts of the Bill that some Senators disagreed with along the lines of religion and tradition. The beauty of democracy is that it gives us the opportunity to consider different opinions and this bill can still be represented and reconsidered on the floor of the Senate I have it on good authority that Senator Biodun Olujimi who introduced this bill will reintroduce it after re-drafting it to address some of the reservations that were expressed on the floor of the Senate”, Saraki said.