We won’t accept less than 35 per cent appointive positions, Women tell Tinubu

Ahead of the May 29 presidential inauguration, Nigerian women on Monday urged President-elect, Bola Tinubu to enforce the National Gender Policy by allotting 35 per cent of appointments in the public sector to women.

According to them, the president-elect should adhere to the rule of law and mainstream women in appointive offices, adding that they won’t accept anything less than 35 per cent of the appointive positions.

They made the demand at a press briefing organized by female legislators and the Women Trust Fund in Abuja.

The call came amid concerns about the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in Nigeria.

Speaking, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Women in Parliament, Hon. Oluga Taiwo, highlighted the importance of gender mainstreaming in governance, stating that women constitute over 50 per cent of the population and their contributions to nation-building cannot be overemphasized.

She noted that gender mainstreaming is not just about meeting the 35 per cent affirmative action in appointments, but also about ensuring that women are appointed based on merit.

“We have competent women who can occupy appointive offices across the board and contribute to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

“It is therefore imperative that the incoming administration mainstreams women in appointive offices as prescribed in the National Gender Policy and other international instruments,” she said.

A contestant for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Miriam Onuoha, and two aspirants for Deputy Speaker, Hon. Adewunmi Onanuga and Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, also spoke.

They called for greater inclusion of women in leadership positions and urged the incoming administration to prioritize gender mainstreaming in all aspects of governance.

Hon. Onuoha emphasized the need for women to be given equal opportunities to participate in politics and governance.

“Women have the capacity to lead and we should be given the opportunity to do so. I am confident that if given the chance, we will deliver and make a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians,” she said.

Hon. Onanuga and Hon. Akande-Sadipe stressed that gender mainstreaming is not just a moral imperative, but also a legal obligation.

“The National Gender Policy and other international instruments have made it mandatory for governments to mainstream gender in all aspects of governance, including appointments. We expect the incoming administration to adhere to these principles across the board,” they said.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Mufuliat Fijabi observed that despite the country’s adoption of the National Gender Policy and other international instruments, women continue to be marginalized in politics and decision-making processes.

She, however, stressed that the incoming administration of President-elect Bola Tinubu has the opportunity to change this narrative and ensure greater inclusion of women in governance.