NIGERIA: Senate rejects bill that seeks to make women equal to men

A bill seeking to guarantee women equal rights with their male counterparts, was, Tuesday, thrown out of the Senate plenary, when it was presented for consideration. 

The bill, which was presented for consideration by Senator Biodun Olujimi, PDP, Ekiti South, incur the wrath of senators, mainly from the Northern part of the country, who did not only slam those behind it but also described it as anti-Islam. 

But the bill’s sponsor,Senator Olujimi, in her lead debate,explained that its purpose was to permit women to have equal rights with men in marriages,education and employment. 

She said this had become compelling in view of increasing discrimination against women in education and employment. 

The bill also sought to eliminate discrimination against any person irrespective of his gender on any ground including sexual violence against women. 

According to Olujimi, gender discrimination often makes women insecure, denies them meaningful employment and exposes them to discrimination and exploitation. 

She said: “The fact that disparity of gendered pricing still exists within today’s society shows that women still continue to be disempowered in many aspects of economic life.

Culled: Vanguard