The National Human Rights Commission has reiterated its commitment to continue to champion the course of Women’s Participation in Politics as it will not relent in advocating for a Bill that will enhance their inclusivity in politics and nation building
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu stated this when he received a delegation from the League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV) who paid him a courtesy visit at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He observed that women all over the world have contributed immensely in national and international affairs and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
Ojukwu stated that the Commission as part of its mandate to promote human rights of all Nigerians has sponsored the Women Participation in Politics Bill at the National Assembly, the bill which passed the second reading will ensure that women have great impact in the political sphere, unfortunately the said Bill was not passed into law he lamented.
He assured the women that the Commission will extend its hand of fellowship through collaboration because a lot still needs to be done in areas of women especially in the political space.
The President, NILOWV, Hon, Irene Awunah-Ikyegh stated that NILOWV came into being 27 years ago after the Beijing Conference and has continued to strive to foster an inclusive democracy by encouraging informed and active participation of women in government through shed light on issues of Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) within the political domain.
She said the purpose of their visit was to propose a strategic partnership and to carry out advocacy campaign on SGBV in pollical space, adding that statistics of women inclusion in governance especially elective positions have been dwindling despite all efforts by stakeholders to get women elected into elective offices.
According to Hon. Awunah- Ikyegh, shedding light on the issues of SGBV within the pollical domain has become imperative because it is an issue that demands urgent attention, as it jeopardized the fundamental rights and security of countless individuals.
