The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has strongly advocated for gender equality in governance.
He emphasized the importance of affirmative action for women as a means to achieve fairness and balance.
During his keynote address, Speaker Abbas stressed that gender issues must be incorporated into Nigeria’s constitution and policies. He stated that this inclusion would ensure that women’s representation is properly institutionalized at every level of government.
The Speaker highlighted that the National Assembly has been a strong advocate for combating gender-based violence in the country. He noted that recent legislative reforms, such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, were steps toward achieving this goal.
Abbas further noted the critical role of women in society and governance, citing their indispensable contributions to leadership and policymaking. He argued that women’s representation in the political sphere is still insufficient, despite their essential roles in families and communities.
The Speaker stressed that the 10th House has prioritized constitutional reforms to increase women’s participation in political life. This initiative, he said, aims to address systemic barriers and promote women’s involvement in the nation’s development processes.
He also urged state Houses of Assembly to actively participate in these constitutional reforms to ensure gender-inclusive amendments. Speaker Abbas highlighted that without support from state speakers, meaningful changes in gender representation would be difficult to achieve.
The Speaker concluded by reiterating that affirmative action for women is not undemocratic but a corrective measure for past inequities. He referenced other African countries, like Rwanda and South Africa, which have successfully adopted such measures in their constitutions.
