Doctors’ Health Initiative (DHI), a civil society organisation, has urged the Senate not to countenance the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill.
The Director of the initiative, Dr Nkechi Asogwa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that the bill did not promote the cause of women.
“We heard about the National Assembly throwing out the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill.
“At first, like most Nigerian women, we were upset and surprised why such a bill should not be given pride of place in our constitution and by the senators.
“I decided to study the bill and see for ourselves if there are things that shouldn’t be there and probably the reason why such a thing should happen.
“And to our surprise we came across several articles, Article seven and Article 12c especially, legalising abortion.
“Speaking with a lawyer friend, going through the different articles, we realised that the articles were already in existence in our constitution and in different laws of the land except the one legalising abortion and gender stereotyping.
“And we began to ask ourselves, could there be more to this bill than meet the eyes?
“If we already gave these articles re-presented, Inheritance law, the Marriage Act, Equality and so on; so, why do we need to re-present it in a different bill under a different heading.
“And at the same time insert things that we know culturally speaking and as a religious people, it will be repugnant to most Nigerians.’’
NAN reports that on March 14, the Senate rejected the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill which was sponsored by Sen. Biodun Olujimi of PDP, representing Ekiti-South for lack of merit.
Asogwa further urged the Senate to ignore the bill as it was deceitful.
She stressed the need to educate and enlighten the public on the actual content of the bill.
“We call on the general public, especially women like me that were fooled at first to believe that the bill was for our own good, to know that this bill is not for the good of the woman and that everybody should stand up and make sure that it is never passed or signed into law.
“We heard there is a serious plan to represent it; that is why we want to educate the public.
“We hope that the National Assembly members are also part of the public that should know the truth.
“I think the problem should be more than creating a new bill; let’s implement what is already in existence.
“There is really no reason to re-invent the bill when the things are already there. It does not make any sense.’’
(NAN)