By LIZZY OKOJI

President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Edward Asante, has advocated for 50 per cent affirmative action to ensure equal representation of men and women in all spheres.

Asante made this known on Tuesday in Abuja, during an event organised by the Women’s Forum of the ECOWAS Court, to commemorate the 2022 International Women’s Day (IWD).

He said that an opportunity for a 50 per cent affirmative action on gender parity will give women an equal playing field to compete with the male folk.

“Affirmative action is the most important thing to do now to try to support them and give them a quota to aid them be on their feet.

“And then from there, even if we are making them compete, they would have gotten the good footings to start, because it is also important that they are given their rightful position in society.

“In politics and other aspects, people talk about 25 per cent, 30 per cent, but I think that 50 per cent will be very good.

“So that there will be equality, gender parity is very important and women’s words are what we rely on because without them, we cannot survive,” Asante said.

Dupe Atoki, a justice of the court, urged women to rise up to the challenge, prove themselves qualified and competent and not wait to be handed the opportunity by men.

Atoki explained that gender equality did not mean war between men and women, neither did it imply women begging to be recognized, but said it was a phenomenon of women getting what was rightfully theirs.

“If we wait for the men to give us the opportunity to represent, they will not, you have got to get it.

“So put yourself in the position where you can also be qualified to represent your community, be more active in a manner that will draw the approval of your community to represent them.

“If we stay in our bedrooms, kitchen and in our homes, we would not get anywhere.

“So those who are politically inclined should then get up and present themselves at a level where they will compete.

“If we do, there will be no need for this affirmative action, we do not need that consensus if we ourselves get what rightfully belongs to us,” Atoki said.

Mrs. Frances Ibanga, Chairperson, of the court’s Women Forum, said the group was formed in the court to push for women’s concerns and reach out to women’s needs outside the institution.

Ibanga said that the court, through its judgments, had also ensured that women were not marginalized in the society.

“We have engaged in a lot of activities in promoting women.

“We talk to ourselves, conduct retreats where we share ideas, reach out to women, train on skills acquisition, aid the less privileged, and mentor young girls to catch them young.

“The house divided against its self cannot stand. So, if we are talking about breaking bias, we are talking about equality and giving us opportunities.

“We have to come together under one umbrella and have one voice, so that when we speak, we form a formidable force where we can be able to penetrate and get what we want.

“And then by doing that, we will be able to achieve what we want,” Ibanga said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the 2022 IWD was with the theme “Gender Equality for a Sustainable Tomorrow.

The United Nations, however, introduced the sub-theme “breaking bias”, to create more sensitisation against any form of bias towards women. (NAN)