Nigerian Senate President pledges support for Gender and Equally Opportunities Bill

UN Women Nigeria, together with the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill Technical Working Committee, on 3 June 2021 embarked on a high-level advocacy visit to Nigerian Senate President His Excellency Ahmed Lawan at the Senate Building in the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to seek his support as a co-sponsor of the bill, which is pending passage at the National Assembly.

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The delegation, led by the UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Comfort Lamptey, District Senator Abiodun Olujimi, and the Minster of Women Affairs, HE Dame Pauline Tallen (represented by Dr Asabe Bashir, Director General, National Centre for Women Development), presented the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, which had been revised to address all major objections raised during its attempted passage during the Eighth National Assembly.

During the high-level visit, Ms Comfort Lamptey noted that the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill seeks to address all discriminatory social norms that undermine the rights of women in Nigeria. She further commended HE Ahmed Lawan for the passage of the Bill on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions and his commitment to the ongoing National Assembly review of the constitution and electoral act to make it gender inclusive.

H.E Ahmed Lawan, Senate President (4th from left) in a group photo with some senators and the visiting delegation after receiving the Gender and Equally Opportunity Bill. Photo: UN Women/ Marian Roberts

H.E Ahmed Lawan, Senate President (4th from left) in a group photo with some senators and the visiting delegation after receiving the Gender and Equally Opportunity Bill.  Photo: UN Women/ Marian Roberts

In response, HE Ahmed Lawan indicated that Nigeria had not done enough to give Nigerian women the opportunities they deserved, and he lauded UN Women for supporting the technical working committee’s work to build a consensus that identifies and addresses the gender diversity of the country. He pledged his support to advance the full participation of women in the development processes of the country. 

“It is important that we work hard to give women and girls opportunity to participate and be better represented in Nigeria’s economy and politics through affirmative action.”—HE Ahmed Lawan, Senate President

The delegation also included Princess Joan Jummai Idonijie, Barrister Ebere Ifendu, Olufunke Oladipo, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Toun Okewale, Bukky Williams, Eqy Anazonwu, Desmond Osalobo and Chundung Ashley Dauda.

The Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill Technical Working Committee was established in September 2020 with support from UN Women, and comprises nine members, with the participation of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. One of the key objectives of the committee is to identify and reach out to potential key influencers and HeForShe champions to support the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill and to design appropriate advocacy strategies.