IWD 2022: Nigerian women occupy NASS, declare three-day protest for inclusion

Technocrat Media, Abuja

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, a day set aside by the United Nations to honour and mark the impact of women. Nigerian women currently gathered at the gate of the National Assembly to ask the lawmakers to reconvene and pass all the women-related bills in the ongoing constitution amendment.

The women from different groups are demanding an urgent re-convening, reconsideration, and immediate passage of the gender-related bills by both chambers of the National Assembly.

They said the protest will continue till Thursday unless the lawmakers accede to their demands.

The rally tagged: “Break The Bias – Nigerian women occupy NASS” is also happening in Lagos, Calabar, Akure, Abeokuta, Kebbi, Bauchi, Port Harcourt, and Yola.

Their demands among others include 35%affirmative action, citizenship rights to foreign spouses of women, indegenship rights, and special seats for women in the parliament.

Last week, the lawmakers at the upper and lower chambers rejected all women-related bills including the one seeking to give at least ten slots to women as ministers and commissioners in the federal and state governments.

The women groups are demanding that the federal lawmakers should reconvene and take another look at the requests for 111 seats for women, citizenship, 35% representation in party leadership, more appointive positions in government, and vote in favour of these amendments in the constitution.