Non-Governmental Organisation engages media executives on gender bills advocacy

The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) is to organize a one-day knowledge building roundtable  for media executives ,to  enhance advocacy on the five gender bills for consideration at the National Assembly.

Penpushing reports that the Executive Director, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi explained that the roundtable is in collaboration with Women Radio 91.7fm (WFM) and International Press Centre (IPC) with support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Palladium SCALE Project

The Non-Governmental Organization was established in 2000 in Nigeria, to support the promotion of gender equality, laws, and policies strengthening, and have long history of mobilizing joint action for addressing issues on the rights of women in Nigeria.

Penpushing further reports that details of the meeting showed that the building roundtable is scheduled to hold on May 3, 2023 at Dover Hotel, Aromoire, Allen Avenue, Ikeja Lagos State from 10am

The organization is mobilizing Joint Action for the Passage of the 5 Gender Bills in the ongoing constitution amendment process in Nigeria; and will amplify demand for gender inclusion in constitution amendments by enhancing the knowledge of media chiefs on the 5 gender bills to demand for reconsideration and passage.

Penpushing also reports that background and context has it that the constitution of any nation is a foundational instrument for achieving gender equality, the current national assembly in June 2021 invited inputs from Nigerians to contribute to the constitutional reform process, which according to the leadership was to be ‘one of the most important steps for the nation in recent times’

‘The public notice issued by the 9th NASS requested inputs on a lot of issues including that which will support enjoyment of ‘the rights of women and vulnerable groups. In response to this, five major issues were identified and submitted as critical to addressing gender equality in Nigeria’.

‘In February 2022, 68 bills were laid before the NASS for votes, and these included the 5 Gender bills. However on the 1st of March the HORs rejected the 5 gender bills while the Senate voted in support of two of the bills, which bother on; citizenship and indigeneity’.

‘The voting down of the bill led to a national protest (OccupyNASS) and on the 8th of March 2022, the House of Representatives reconsidered the bill and rescinded their votes on three of the bills to wit, indigeneship, citizenship and 10% affirmative action for women in the leadership of political parties’.

‘However, both houses failed to harmonise the 5-gender bill hence it did not transmit to the State Assemblies for considerations.  This project, therefore, takes a holistic perspective in responding to SGBV in Nigeria’

‘it is based on the assumption that without addressing the existing structural inequalities linked to gender identity, voice, participation, income, class, ethnicity, and many others combined with pervasive gender discrimination, the country may not address the high rate of SGBV’.

‘The following are the proposed gender bill the constitution amendment should support:  111 special seats for women at national assembly to address the low representation of women, ensure affirmative action for women in political party administration to enable participation and voice, a bill sought to grant citizenship to foreign -born husbands of a Nigerian woman, the fourth proposal was to allocate at least 10% affirmative action to ministerial appointment positions and the fifth bill sought to ensure indigeneship rights to women to avoid the discrimination and violence women suffer in a bid to participate effectively in the society.

Penpushing reports that objective of the project are to support active citizens’ engagements and action that will lead to the passage of the gender bills currently before the national assembly, while methodology is public awareness

‘A key strategic approach for engagement to ensure reconsideration and passage of the 5 Gender Bills is Public Awareness. Media has been identified as a major influencer for creating public awareness. As such: WARDC will organize a 1-Day Knowledge Building Roundtable with Media Chiefs to boost the awareness of the 5 Gender Bills and how they can increase media advocacy on the need to support the bills reconsideration and passage in the constitution amendment process’.

Penpushing further reports that the roundtable will have 40 participants which will comprise of media executives from both print and electronic media, as well as online media, and expected outcomes include improved knowledge of media about the need for gender inclusivity in the constitutional amendments and the role of traditional mass media in policy advocacy for the 5 Gender Bills.

‘A raise in voice of the critical mass by active citizen engagement and actions advocating for the reconsideration and passage of the 5 Gender bills. With the hope that the Messages will be amplified by grassroot communities.  A measurable change in perception and behavior towards women’s demand for inclusive constitution reform’.

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