Women urge lawmakers to speed up reserved seats bill
Scores of women gathered at the National Assembly, calling on lawmakers to accelerate the passage of the Women Reserved Seats Bill. The bill aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to create reserved seats for women in both the National Assembly and state legislatures. Advocates argue that this measure is necessary to address the low representation of women in Nigeria’s legislative bodies. Prominent voices, including Ene Obi and Rahila Dauda, emphasized the urgent need for inclusive governance and representation.
What we know
- Women held a peaceful rally at the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to pass the Women Reserved Seats Bill.
- The bill is among 44 constitutional amendment proposals awaiting a final vote and aims to create constituencies exclusively for women.
- Ene Obi and other advocates stressed the importance of timely passage to allow adequate preparation for female candidates.
- Supporters highlighted Nigeria’s low rate of female parliamentary representation and called for inclusion of women with disabilities.
- Previous attempts to pass similar gender bills have failed, but proponents argue reserved seats are a necessary temporary intervention.
