Since the rejection of the Gender Equality Bill (GEB) by the Senate in March 2016, civil society groups and activists have been mounting pressure on the Red Chamber to re-present the bill, writes Senior Correspondent ONYEWUCHI OJINNAKA.
If the move to re-introduce the Gender Equality Bill (GEB) sails through, Nigerian women might have proved that they have washed their hands clean enough to eat with the elders.
On the historical ides of March date this year, the Senate threw out a bill seeking equality for both gender. Presently, the men, or so it seems, have upper hand in rights (and responsibilities) in marriage, education and job opportunities.
The bill, entitled ‘Gender Parity and Prohibition of Violence against Women’, was sponsored by Senator (Mrs.) Abiodun Olujimi (Ekiti South, PDP) and presented to the Senate during its plenary session.
According to Olujimi, the bill would seek equal rights for women in marriage, education and job opportunities, adding that if the bill was passed, a woman in Nigeria would automatically become the custodian of her children in the event of the death of her husband, and would also inherit his property.
In supporting the bill, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said Nigeria would develop more if women were given the same rights as men.
Buttressing his support for the bill, Ekweremadu said: “I was going through a document prepared by George Bush of America. Those countries that are doing well are those who give women opportunities.
“Where I come from, women do not eat egg and are restricted from touching the non-essential parts of animals. But now, that has changed. What is needed is time and education, not necessarily legislation. We will continue to encourage our women and I support this bill.”
However, Ekweremadu’s support for the bill could not give enough weight for the bill to scale through the first reading as the Senate Majority leader, Ali Ndume (Borno South, PDP), condemned the bill and enjoined Nigerians to stick with either religious or traditional marriage.
In same vein, Senator Sani Ahmed (Zamfara West, APC) faulted the bill, saying that it was in conflict with the Nigerian Constitution. He posited that the bill negates the principles of the Sharia law, which the Constitution recognises. The bill was eventually thrown out when the issue was put on voice vote by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central, APC).
Calls for re-presentation
Since the rejection of the bill by the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, there has been calls and agitations by civil society groups and activists, particularly the female gender, for its re-presentation. They argued that there was nothing wrong with the bill, as it does not amount to rubbing shoulders with the menfolk.
The Foundation for African Cultural Heritage (FACH), a coalition of civil society groups comprising Global Health Alliance, Nigerian Life League, Islamic Platform of Nigeria, Good Parenting and Youth Empowerment, Happy Home Foundation, and the Nigerian Association for Women Advancement among others, decried the rejection of the bill by the National Assembly, saying that doing so contravenes the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR).
Joining the league of groups calling for re-presentation of the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) urged the National Assembly to take another look at the bill, which the sponsor believe is geared towards transforming the country by 2030.
In Abuja, the UNFPA country re-presentative in Nigeria, Ratizai Nhdlovu, stated that such action would be one of the practicable national responses to help implement the Sustainable Development Agenda, as agreed by world leaders, including Nigeria’s, in September 2015.
Nhlovu explained that: “Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill deserves another look and adoption by the Senate as a further step by Nigeria towards fulfilling humanity’s vision of transforming the world by 2030 to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality.
“This vision of gender equality is not new. It is imbedded in the International Bill of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, all of which Nigeria has committed to realising.”
In Lagos, a human rights activist and chairperson of Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), Funmi Falana, told TheNiche that the bill should be re-presented to the National Assembly.
“The bill came when the House was not mobilised. I believe that most of them were not properly enlightened or educated on the bill.
“The rights that are in the bill are constitutional. There are no new rights; it is just to solidify the rights. It is absurd for the legislature to put away such a bill. It is part of Section 42 of the Constitution. It only expanded the rights as contained in the Constitution,” she added.
Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Lagos branch, insisted that the Bill should be re-presented.
President of FIDA Lagos, Mrs. Eliana Martins, pointed out that there were issues that could be sorted out during deliberations on the bill. She submitted that FIDA would be interested in the bill sailing through.
“We talk about equal opportunity; no discrimination. Anything that shows or allows discrimination is wrong and that is what the bill is all about.
“FIDA is interested because it would benefit women, especially the disadvantaged or vulnerable group. We ask for equal opportunities in workplace, in job opportunities, in appointments, in education. We are for all that is fair and just,” she said.
Mrs. Martins believes very strongly that FIDA Nigeria will be part of the coalition canvassing for the re-presentation of the bill because it is a natural law. The bill, she added, has nothing to do with dressing or religious worship, but the wellbeing of Nigerian woman.
Executive Director of Gender and Development Action (GADA), Mrs. Ada Agina-Ude, appealed to members of the National Assembly to re-consider their stand when the bill is re-presented for the benefit of equity and fairness.
“It will strengthen the rights of women,” she told TheNiche.
Discordant tunes
However, Regulatory Affairs Director of Foundation for African Cultural Heritage (FACH), Nkem Agboti, disagreed. She urged the lawmakers not to consider a re-presentation of the bill, submitting that apart from the bill contravening the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, it was also mismatched with the language of ACHPR.
Agboti said that since most sections of the bill already existed in the country’s Criminal Code, Marriage Act and the Maintenance Act, there was no need for a new law.
“Instead of spending time deliberating, analysing, passing, signing fresh laws, let us look at the laws we already have; improve on their enforcement, create awareness, so that we can take advantage of those existing provisions,” she said.
Similarly, the Director, Doctors Health Initiative, Nkechi Asogwa, noted that the bill injected some provisions that contravened the country’s constitution and moral code.
“Those applauding the bill do not understand; they mistake it for a bill promoting equality between men and women. They think the bill is aimed at promoting the economic, political and cultural empowerment of the Nigerian women; but the bill reveals otherwise. The public, especially women, need to be educated and enlightened on this issue. We need to rise up and ensure that the bill is not passed,” Asogwa expressed.