…. TO PARTNER WOMEN GROUPS TOWARDS ACTUALISATION OF WOMEN RIGHTS
The Ondo State House of Assembly on tuesday pledged to partner women groups across the state towards actualization of women rights under the law and other gender related demands.
Speaker of the House,Rt. Hon. Oleyelogun Bamidele David gave this indication while addressing across section of women who protested to the House of Assembly to demand a revisit and reversal of bills that inhibit women rights.
The protest came on the heels of this year’s International Women Day.
The protesters comprising no fewer than 10 women groups, led by the National Association of Women Journalists,Ondo State Chapter have among their demands, the right for Nigerian Women in diaspora to vote during elections, while their foreign-born husbands should be given Nigerian Citizenship.
The women groups equally demanded the right for a woman to take indigenship of her husbands state after five years of marriage.
They also demanded for 35% appointed positions for women,35% affirmative action for women in party administration and allocation of specific seats for women in National Assembly.
While demanding an end to gender discrimination against women, the group appealed to the House of Assembly to transmit their demands to the National Assembly.
In his response,the Speaker represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Information Youth and Sport Development, Akogun Olugbenga Omole pledged to look into the demands of the women.
Omole noted that Ondo State House of Assembly is gender friendly hence the accelerated passage of the Violence Against Pensions Prohibition Bill into Law.
While urging the various women groups to properly synergise towards actualization of their demands, Omole promised that the House would leave no stone unturned at ensuring that legitimate demands of women did not elude.
He equally commended the Governor of Ondo State Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN for being at the forefront in the actualization of women rights as epitomized by the appointment of the first Female Secretary to the State Government (SSG) among other women appointments into various position in the State.
