GWIHR took the opportunity of the observance of this year’s International Human Rights Day to call on the National Human Right Commission Rivers State Chapter and relevant stakeholders to consider enacting the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law in the State.
Greater Women Initiative for Health and Right (GWIHR) called on National
Human Right Commission (NHRC) Rivers State chapter and law makers to consider
enacting the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law.
The Executive Director, Aseme Josephine, made the call on the 2023 International
Human Rights Day, which is commemorated annually on 10th December.
This year’s edition of the international event is themed, “Freedom, Equality and Justice for all”
This year’s edition of the international event is themed, “Freedom, Equality and Justice for all”
Aseme Josephine, said in a statement on Monday, that the theme “is apt as it further
buttresses the fact that everyone irrespective of existing socio-economic disparities is
entitled to equal opportunities, as such committing resources to priorities the fulfillment
of human rights through budgetary, policy, legislative and programmatic investments is crucial
in positioning all to contribute meaningfully to regional, national and global
development.”
The Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill first introduced in the Nigerian Senate in 2021
seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and ensure the equality of
opportunities for every person. However, the bill was meet with the highest form of
cultural and religious stockades from democratically elected representatives.
Reiterating the need to enact the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law, Aseme
Josephine raised awareness on the importance of this law, drawing credence from other
state such as Anambra, Imo, Kogi, Ekiti and Plateau state who have enacted this law.
She stated that this law guarantees the rights of women to equal opportunities in
employment; equal rights to inheritance for both male and female children; equal rights
for women in marriage and divorce; equal access to education, property/land ownership
and inheritance. It also protects the rights of young women and girls and marginalized
women such as sex workers, LBTQ women, women living with HIV, women with
disability and Widows by guarantying that appropriate measures are taken against
gender discrimination in political and public life.
Emphasizing on the need to enact the law, Aseme Josephine regretted that in spite of
increased awareness and sensitization on the issue of gender equality and gender
inclusiveness, “the society discriminates against female and LBTQ sex workers, blaming
culture as the root cause of this anomaly, forgetting that such excuses are no longer
tenable nowadays.”
She criticized the exclusion of sex workers in decision making spaces that involves their
wellbeing, saying that “exclusion is discrimination. We can’t ensure freedom, equality
and justice for all without including the right people in the appropriate positions.”
“Female and LBTQ Sex workers face an undeniably amount of discrimination, and with
the increasing advocacy for support and affirmative action, we will surely change the
narratives,” he said.
She therefore took the opportunity of the observance of this year’s Human Rights Day to
call on the lawmakers to consider enacting the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law in
Rivers State.