8 Things The Nigerian Woman Should Know About The Gender Equality Bill

Before anyone runs down the gender equality bill, it would be sensible to seek to know its content.

The Nigerian Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill which was rejected by majority of the Nigerian law makers presents equal opportunities for men and women as the name suggests. The Nigerian gender quality bill seeks to establish that “women deserve what men deserve, sort of”. These are some important things you need to know about the bill.

What’s in the Bill?
1. The bill seeks to establish and maintain a state where the needs and aspirations of women and men are equally valued and supported, where women and men enjoy the same political and socio-economic rights and opportunities.

There’s More…
2. The Bill is divided into three parts. Parts B and C respectively focus on the establishment of a commission to handle the administration of the bill and how to BEST enforce the policies.
Part A is what we’re interested in: what’s in the bill for the Nigerian woman as regards discrimination.

What’s More?
3. The bill criminalises and prohibits such practice where women are denied what they are naturally entitled to just because they are women.

Nipping In The Bud.
4. The bill hopes to nip discrimination against women in the bud, promoting equality by modifying sociocultural practices that discourage full development and advancement of all persons, especially women.
It seeks to remove all prejudices and judgement calls based on the idea that women are inferior. It also considers this case for men.

Outlawed In laws
5. The rights of women in matters relating to marriage and family relations are given priority in the bill.
This is bad news for bride kidnappers and insensitive in-laws who make life a terrifying nightmare for grieving widows.

In The Line Of Fire
6. Rapists, wife and women-beaters will also be caught in the line of fire if this bill is passed. The bill spells doom for violent offenders even containing the damages, sentences, costs and compensation.

What Women Want.
7. The gender equality bill guarantees and protects the rights of women in significant areas like education, employment and health. This is done within the context of women’s marital and socio-economic status.
In this bill, the rights of widows in regards to inheritance will be protected and also in the case of divorce.

It’s interesting to note that of the 109 senators, only 7 of them are women. And this in a country where the population of women is almost equal to that of men.

8. Well, this is the last but surely not the least on this list of important issues the bill hopes to address: “the right (of women) to participate fully in all political activities, including the right to vote and be voted for in all elections and public referenda, and to be eligible for election to all publicly elected offices and bodies without any restriction, limitation or barriers whatsoever.”

So Nigerian women! Knowledge is power, they say. And there’s even more power in numbers. Like and Share this post as awareness is the next best step we can take towards getting this bill passed.