By TINA TIMOTHY

EMERGE Women, a gender-focused civic organization, has called on the National Assembly (NASS) to, as a matter of urgency, to right the wrong by reconsidering all gender-responsive bills rejected by its members.

The group made the call in a statement dated Monday March 7, 2022 and signed by the founder Mary Ikokwu wherein it decried the “shameful” way the Nigerian women were being denied their human rights, de-humanized and under-represented in political office.

The statement reads: “Emerge Women, a gender-focused civic organisation working across Nigeria and Africa to attain gender justice and gender equality in Education, Health, Economic Empowerment, Social Inclusion, and in leadership and decision making processes/positions have called on the National Assembly to urgently reconvene, reconsider, and immediately pass the five women gender-related Bills number 35, 36, 37, 38 and 68.

“Nigerian women are aggrieved at the actions of the 9th National Assembly (NASS) on March 1, 2022, when they denied women the opportunity of inclusion and representation in governance by voting against all 5 gender bills.

“We hereby demand a repeal of these history making gender bills that were aborted by the National Assembly members in a month where the world is recognizing women, their achievements, their tenacity and their contributions to the development in different spheres of society.

“The proposed gender bills in the 5th Constitution were targeted at addressing the current gender imbalance in the legislative arm of governments across the country whilst reducing the under-representation of women in political office.

“These bills witnessed the National Assembly

“Denying citizenship to a foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman. (While it allows Nigerian men’s foreign-born wives to be awarded automatic citizenship);

“Denying Nigerian women indigeneity through marriage;

“Denying 35 per cent appointed positions for women and settling for 20 per cent;

“Denying women affirmative action in party administration and leadership; and

“Denying specific seats for women in the National Assembly.

“The men of the 9th NASS have reinforced the discrimination and political bias against women as enshrined in the 1999 constitution.

“We condemn this shameful representation of Nigeria and consider this a breach of international laws as they are hereby seen as opposing the globally documented Beijing agreement of 35% affirmative action, African Charters Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, which Nigeria ratified in 2004 and the UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Nigeria ratified in 1985.

“Our resolve to continue this struggle is to push back on the misogynistic attitude of the NASS, the pattern of neglect of women concerns and disregard for our humanity, severally women have been embarrassed by the gender insensitive practices of the law makers. The failure to address women issues through the gender bill shows that women are irrelevant.

“We reject further dehumanization of Nigerian Women and we will continue to protest until our demands are met.

“We call on the Senate President and the Hon. Speaker to call an urgent meeting to discuss how to right the wrong, if not we shall continue to occupy the NASS and intensify demands for Gender equality and call on all Nigerians men, women, CSO’s, groups, CBO’s, FBO’s, the media and the world at large to join in this advocacy for women.

“Say NO to this denial of human Rights in every way possible. Each woman, tell one, bring one to Occupy NASS.

“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights – Gloria Steinem.”

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