Women advocate legislative inclusion

The Coalition of Women Leaders in Kaduna State (CWLKS) has advocated for women inclusion in the federal and state legislative houses in the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

While presenting their position, Jemilat Abidoye, one of the women leaders, said, “Create additional and special seats for women in the federal and state legislative houses. In the senate, one seat for women from the 36 states and FCT, in the House of Representatives, two seats for women from each of the 36 states and the FCT, and in the Houses of Assembly, one each from the three senatorial districts.”

According to Abidoye, women representation in government should be at least 35 per cent at the federal and state levels.

She further said, “Include gender as a benchmark for federal character, the constitution has already created the federal character as an affirmative action and mechanism that ensures the representation of marginalised groups in the country.

“In addition to these constitutional provisions, the national gender policy was also intended to increase the number of women in political offices, party organs and public life by setting a goal of 35 per cent affirmative action to support women to all elected and appointed positions by 2015. But our reality in 2021 is that women’s political participation is still below 10 per cent; that’s very low.”

Speaking earlier on the theme: “Advocating for an Inclusive Constitution”, a member of the steering committee of the coalition, Emilia Csaszar, said the coalition was implementing a three-point agenda to increase visibility of women leadership in Kaduna State.