IWD 2022: Osun NAWOJ Calls On Legislature To Reconsider Its Stance On Gender Bills

As the world celebrate International Women's Day, Osun Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists is adding its voice by calling on governments, the legislative, judiciary, employers, society, family and men to support the women by breaking the bias means, negative claim, standards and limits set against women.

According to the release signed by the Chairperson Mrs Motunrayo Ayegbayo and the Secretary Comrade Abisola Ariwodola, Success is everyone's right, we actively call out gender bias, discrimination, and stereotyping against women at work, in government, homes and in the society.

The release said that International Women's Day of every 8th of March celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.

It added that this year's theme is Break The Bias: make a difference, little by little and be better. Challenge yourself to grow and make a difference. Every woman has a recipe to become who she wants to become in life. It's not right that the male folk in government are limiting the progress of women, particularly politically.

The release pointed out that

fighting for a common goal is not hard, the problem is getting like minds who sees the need to make things better by creating a long lasting solution to problems; (problems of breaking the economic inequality, gender bias, cycle of domestic violence, Girlchild abuse, political exclusion, reproductive health and rights, child marriage, socio-cultural and discriminatory employment practices).

It used the medium to call on the Legislature: the National Assembly to reconsider it's stance and accept the five gender bills that speak to the issues against women especially discrimination and exclusion from involvement in governance and contribution to nation building, added that the rejection of the bills by the senate is not only shameful or retrogressive but a huge tragedy in the development space of Nigeria and the eye of the global community.

It therefore appeal to members of the federal legislature to as a matter of urgency, necessity and in the interest of the spirit and letters of democracy to discard their earlier posture and allow for the Gender bills to be re-represented and passed into law, and it calls on the state government to also approve the process afterwards.

NAWOJ leadership celebrating women for being strong in raising homes and building careers, also calls on all Nigerian women to rise and demand from their representatives the fulfilment of the social contract of effective representation they signed.

"Let us break the bias of bad influences, selfishness, unnecessary competition, stereotypes, gender discrimination, antagonism, self-pity, self-abasement and self-centeredness. and greed amongst us but rather unite, support each other and achieve our goals, by creating a voice for ourselves for the right course in governance and needed platform, the statement added."