ASABA/Nigeria: Women in Delta State have called for an increase in the number of members of the group in elective an appointive positions, to advocate policies that would improve the welfare of women in the country.
The women from various professional associations made the call during a rally to the Delta State House of Assembly, as part of activities to celebrate 2022 International Women’s month in the state.
The Speaker Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oboreiwori, remarked that consideration of bills before the House were postponed in recognition of the International Women’s Day celebration, describing the Delta State government has gender friendly.
“We had to defer some of those bills; one to today, the other one to next week Tuesday in solidarity with the International Women’s Day.”
Delta State Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Stellamaris Mejulu, who led the rally spoke on some of the limitations affecting Nigerian women in politics and the polity.
“When a woman wants to contest election, they usually would tell her you; go to where you are married. Even if she was married and she is a widow, where she is married would also segregate her and tell her no, go to where you are born.”
The FIDA Chairperson noted the coming elections in 2023, was an opportunity for women to assert themselves in governance in order to have more female representatives to champion concerns affecting the womenfolk.
The President of the State Chapter of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria Dr. Stella Akpe, commended the National Assembly for revisiting three out of five women focused bills earlier declined, but noted the consensus among women was that all five proposals should be reconsidered.
Representatives of the National Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, and Women Traders Association also participated at the rally.
