December 15, (THEWILL) – The Gender Equality Bill on Wednesday suffered a setback in the senate as its sponsor, Senator Biodun Olujimi, was advised to step it down for further consultations with lawmakers who have reservations about the Bill.
Olujimi had tabled the Bill for second reading in the Upper Chamber during the plenary session, stating that the Bill seeks to eliminate discrimination against women and physically challenged members of society.
According to her, the Bill will help eliminate gender stereotypes and harmful practices against widows, as well as encourage women to reach their full potential.
The lawmaker also explained that the Bill, which was thrown out by the eight Senate, has been repackaged and the issues ironed out through wider consultation with stakeholders.
However, two of her colleagues, Senators Yusuf Yusuf (Taraba) and Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), argued that the Bill talks about equality between men and women, which is against Islam and Christianity.
They said they will not support the Bill in this form unless its title is changed by eliminating equality from the caption.
The development degenerated into a heated debate and the majority opinion, including that of Senate President Ahmad Lawan, was that the sponsor should consult widely and present the bill again after removing areas of serious concerns raised by the lawmakers.
Senator Olujimi, on her part, noted that she consulted widely before she came up with the Bill again in the ninth Senate and expressed surprise at the turn of events.
Frustrated by the action of her colleagues, Senator Olujimi reluctantly put the Bill on hold to prevent it from being killed and allow for further consultations.
She said, “I consulted widely and 62 senators signed up to cosponsor but if I am being asked to step it down just because about three senators raised concerns, so be it.”
About the Author
