Former Country Director of Action Aid Nigeria, Ene Obi, advocated for greater representation of women in parliament on Wednesday.
As a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Obi highlighted that 14 Houses of Assembly across the federation have no female representatives.
“We need to remind ourselves that in 14 houses of assembly, there is not a single woman,” she said. “In some, you have just one or two or three, so issues concerning women are being discussed without their input. How can you understand what it means to be a woman?”
Women Committees Chaired by Men
Obi pointed out that male lawmakers often chair committees dealing with women’s issues, which she believes is ineffective.
“We have women committees being chaired by men, with male membership and male decision-making. How do we progress when a significant portion of our population is not represented?” she questioned.
She noted that the Federal Character Commission was created to maintain a balance in the diversity of decision-makers in the country.
Obi commended lawmakers for deliberating on a bill to create additional legislative seats for women in the National and State Assemblies. On Tuesday, the lower chamber passed an amendment bill for second reading to improve women’s representation in parliament.