The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative, (NIGAWD), ohas taken a swipe at the National Assembly over plans to repel the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2015.
The Director of the Initiative, Abimbola Aladejare-Salako made this known during a seminar tagged ‘Movement Building for Collaborative Advocacy on the Maputo Protocol in Nigeria’ organized by the group on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital.
Speaking with journalists, Aladejare-Salako blamed the purported action of the National Assembly on low representation of women among the legislators, saying it is becoming a negative trend in Africa and urged African leaders to be progressive.
She reinstated the commitment of the organization towards advancing women participation in Ekiti politics.
The Director stated that the program is focused on co-creating with women in politics on implementation of Maputo Protocol, which is the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
Aladejare-Salako pointed out that this motion became crucial upon the realization that the implementation of Maputo Protocol at the local level is very low and as such, in partnership with network of organizations including; Solidarity for African Women’s Right (SWOAR), Equality Now and BAOBAB aims to achieve that course.
Her words, “We are working together to ensure that the Maputo Protocol is implemented at our local communities especially at the State House of Assemblies. We are working majorly on Article 9 and 10 of Maputo Protocol which talks about women political participation”.
She urged women in Ekiti to be open minded, embrace and support women who are in politics.
Similarly, a Lawyer and Executive Director, Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion, GRIP, Rita Ilevbare called on women to synergize and focus on the things that bind them.