Women journalists in Nigeria have rallied support for the passage of a special seat bill to increase female political representation in Nigeria.
The call was made at the Fit for Inclusion programme held in Abuja to empower women in media through wellness and advocacy organised by Women in Media Development Initiative(WIMDI) in collaboration with Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI).
The National Vice President, NAWOJ zone D, Mrs. Chizoba Ogbeche in her keynote address at the event, said that the special seat bill, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu and twelve other lawmakers, proposes reserving seats for women in the Senate, House of Representatives, and State Assemblies.
“Women are being decrimanated against politically. A woman knows what the problems of women are. Before now, we had 5 bills, including the special seats for women, but they were thrown out because the people were not well engaged.” Mrs. Ogbeche said.
She called for the need to sensitise the people on the importance of the bills.
“The campaign now starts from the grassroots that is from bottom-up instead of up to bottom. There is a need for constitutional amendment for the special seats. We don’t call it women seats but they are reserved for women to correct the imbalance.”
“We need more men to buy into the idea of special seats. This bill is an opportunity for women to speak more on women issues”. She said.
The Executive Director of GSAI, Mrs. Adaora Sydney Jack, noted that experience has shown that it is easy to shout, nag and condemn from the outside
“I’m telling you this because I ran for elections. On TV I could critiscise those in political offices Until I went to run, upon my return, I became more diplomatic when I talk about politics. In politics, what you see sitting outside is different from what it is in the field.
“To actively participate and have a voice, you need to have more women in the room. Even if the room is bad, you need to get in to fix it because you cannot fix it from outside.” She said.
She urges women to make a decision to find a way to contribute their quota to ensuring the special seat bill is passed.
She laments that Nigeria has only three women at the Senate who can barely make decisions.
“What decisions can just 3 women at the senate make? We have only 15 out of 360 people. at the house of rep. How much is their voice? What can they negotiate? At the state Assembly, only 15 States have women in them. The other states, no women, so imagine that you have chairman committee women in Parliament as a man. So you have men presiding over women committees,” she said .
Mrs. Jack noted that beyond the special seat, women should be encouraged to fully participate in politics for development and improved welfare.
“We are also appealing that it is not a bill for some women to have and get into politics. It is a bill for every young woman every woman with disability. Every woman who is interested in this nation”.
A veteran female Journalist, Lara Owoeye-Wise, called for massive social media sensitisation to help in enlightening Nigerians on the importance of special seat bill.
“If we all post it on social media and our TV station, people will get to know that women in the media are serious because you know what if they pass this Bill, our voice will take the Lead. We will look at this as our idea not just for us but for the posterity of our daughters, as our sisters, and for the women who have tried and tried again, there are so many women. If you tell them, are you running they will say they are not interested.” Wise said.
The founder of TOS group, Mrs. Osasu Oguche pointed out that politics involves decision-making.
“So, it’s important that we all lend our voices and get involved.”
The event featured health talks, motivation and aerobics for the well-being of women.
Lateefah Ibrahim