Nigerian Women’s Groups Increase Advocacy for the Special Seats Bill Passage
Women’s groups in Nigeria have continued to advocate for increased representation of women in elective positions in Nigeria, through the push for a speedy passage of the Special Seats Bill.
The women who gathered at the National Assembly entrance in their numbers on Wednesday used the occasion to submit petitions to lawmakers and urged the leadership of the 10th Assembly to fast-track the bill.
Speaking during the rally, the President of the League of Women Voters, Irene Awunah-Ikyegh, expressed optimism that the bill, if passed into law, would deepen democracy and ensure women have a stronger voice in nation-building.
Awunah-Ikyegh, who led the women to submit constituency-based petitions, urged the lawmakers to accelerate the passage of the bill, citing examples of countries where special seat arrangements have boosted women’s representation in governance.
According to her, the United States, Ghana, Malaysia, and Rwanda are some of the countries where deliberate policies have supported women’s inclusion in leadership.
Also speaking at the rally, the President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), Princess Edna Azura, said the demand for special legislative seats for women was aimed at complementing existing efforts targeted at improving Nigeria’s socio-political and economic growth.
“Women unanimously appeal to members of the National Assembly for the speedy passage of the Special Seats Bill for women to enable them to make greater impact on the democratic and economic development of the nation,” Azura said.
Women at the rally carried placards with various inscriptions: ‘No Special Seats, No Balance in 2027, Act Now’, ‘Democracy and Fair Representation Go Hand in Hand’, and ‘When Women Lead, Communities Thrive’.
