NationalUpdate Woman
Nnamani rekindles hope of women over rejected gender inclusive bills
Apparently piqued by the rejection of the gender inclusive bills by the National Assembly, former Governor of Enugu state, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani has urged Nigerian women not to give up the struggle but be further spurred to mobilize towards its actualization in due course.
The senator in a statement he personally signed and made available to the Guardian on Sunday expressed the view that Nigerian women should rather begin the sensitization and mobilization towards the passage of the bills from the grass root rather than making the battle an elitist struggle.
Senator Nnamani who is the only male Senator in the women Affairs Committee in the parliament said women rights needs to be given due attention because “Women’s rights are also human rights “.
Five bills including those which sought to grant citizenship to foreign husbands of Nigerian women, create special seats for women in the National and state houses of Assembly and allocation of 35 per cent of political appointments to women were rejected by the federal law makers during consideration of the constitutional amendments.
But Senator Nnamani told the women not to give up the struggle because “there is still a window for consideration of the bills saying “all you need to do is to go back to the drawing board and strengthen your mobilization from the grass root to the top. Time is now.”
Nigerian women under various non governmental organizations (NGOs) had taken to the streets to protest against the rejection of the bills and vowed to vote against identified law makers opposed to the bills in the forthcoming elections.
Senator Nnamani wants the bills fine tuned to expunge mundane issues preparatory for representation saying “If we desired development, we need to encourage and empower women as partners in the voyage”.
The former governor of Enugu state reputed for his advocacy for women liberation and empowerment said “it is time for the society to rise up against barriers militating against women advancement in the country”.
He listed some of the barriers against women to include; abysmal maternal mortality, horrendous child mortality , female genital mutilation, child trafficking, rape, poor girl child education and early marriages.
Senator Nnamani also identified attendant obstetrical accidents, educational institutions abuse, work place harassment, unequal pay for equal work, social denigration and political exclusion as ills against women in Nigeria .
He promised to continue the advocacy for women liberation and advancement till the harmful cultural practices against them are actualized.
In the 8th Senate under Senator Bukola Saraki, similar proposal; “Gender Equality Bill” to give women equal opportunities like their counterparts sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujimi was also rejected.
The Jigawa state Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has urged the state government to domesticate the federal law extending maternity leave from three to six months.
Chairman of the group Comrade Shuaibu Musa Kafingana made the appeal at a policy dialogue on paid maternity leave extension.
He cited the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) recommendations.
“Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is crucial for a child’s health,” Kafingana emphasized.
The extended leave according to him is aimed at Supporting work-life balance and job security for nursing mothers adsibg that it will allow mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding for six months.
Explaining further he said it will provide adequate time for physical and emotional recovery after childbirth
The group’s advocacy is seeking to prioritize the health and well-being of nursing mothers and their children in Jigawa State.
By Friday Idachaba
VOWE Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to advancing the education and empowerment of women and girls in Nigeria has unveiled 20 winners of the 2nd edition of the Sophie Uzodimma Onovo Women Undergraduate Scholarship.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, the Foundation revealed that the 20 exceptional female final-year students who scaled the hurdle to clinch the award are to enjoy provision of full tuition and other educational expenses for their final year of study.
The statement said that the awardees were selected from educational tertiary institutions in Enugu and Imo states.
It said that the 2024 prestigious scholarship award marked a significant step in the Foundation’s resolve to foster educational opportunities and empower the next generation of women leaders.
The scholarship, which is being generously funded by the founder of VOWE Foundation, Mrs Sophie Uzodimma Onovo, is designed to support female students education in tertiary institutions.
The award is to alleviate financial barriers confronting the students and empower them to pursue their academic goals through provision of full tuition and other educational expenses for the final year of study.
Speaking on the importance of the scholarship, Mrs Sophie Uzodimma Onovo stated, “Education is the cornerstone of personal and societal growth” adding that it also enables the recipients to focus on their studies without financial worries.
“It marks a significant step in our commitment to fostering educational opportunities and empowering the next generation of women leaders.
“By investing in the education of these young women, we are not only helping them achieve their dreams but also contributing to the future of our communities”, she said.
Onovo who is also founder of the VOWE Foundation said the non-profit making body is committed to supporting women, “especially those in underserved communities, to reach their full
potential.”
She said that the selection process for this year’s scholarship was highly competitive, with numerous applications from talented and dedicated female students.
Mrs Onovo held that the 20 chosen beneficiaries demonstrated exceptional academic performance, leadership potentials, and a strong commitment to community service.
Among the 20 awardees, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) has 7; Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), 4; Imo State University (IMSU), 3 and Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), 2.
Others are Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu (IMT), 1; Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, 2 and Federal Polytechnic Owerri, 1. (Ends)
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