10th House Of Reps Is Women-Friendly Assembly – Abbas

Emmanuel Iyoho
ABUJA
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has described the 10th Assembly as a women-friendly Assembly.
Tajudeen stated this recently when a delegation of United Nations (UN) visited his office at the National Assembly, Abuja, to commend him for leading the campaign for women empowerment.
The speaker noted that members of the House were “unconditionally supportive of all the aspirations of women, not only in Nigeria but also around the world.”
He maintained that the House under his leadership was already considering the fate of women in the country beyond the 2027 general election.
“It is my belief that in the 11th Assembly, discussions about women will not centre on the issue of inclusion or participation in politics; it will go beyond that. It will go to the level where we should have a constitutional amendment where every elective position in the Executive (arm of the government) should be gender-friendly.
“It would further deepen the inclusion of women in Nigeria. “It is my view that this will come true,” he stressed.
The speaker disclosed that from the feelers he is getting from members of the House and the Senate, the proposed gender-based amendments to the 1999 Constitutions would enjoy popular support.
While expressing his belief that the call for empowerment of women in the development of the society will go beyond calls for their inclusion in politics, Tajudeen said  by 2027, some gender-based demands by women would have been legalised in the 1999 Constitution.
“This is just as the United Nations (UN) honoured Speaker Abbas for championing the cause of women, by decorating him with an emblem in recognition of his efforts towards the inclusion of women in politics and governance.
“It is indeed a great day for me; a day that such a powerful delegation is coming all the way on one mission: to say ‘thank you for supporting the women folk.’ I think this is historic,” the speaker said, adding that he is “really pleased” and will not “take it for granted.”
Earlier, Dr. Houinato, who led the UN delegation on the appreciation visit, lauded Abbas for his gender-friendly leadership.
He said, “We are glad that the leadership of this House understands this fundamental fact. And we are here today to acknowledge and congratulate you for your bastion of leadership in bringing the conversation around the participation of women in the development of this country to the core of political discussions – at the local, state and federal levels.
“We want to recognise your moral and political leadership in the question of women and development in Nigeria. I have been charged by my colleagues at the African level to recognise you today as, indeed, a ‘He For She’ with the international sign (emblem) to recognise all the people who have invested in the promotion of women,” Houinato added.
The delegation  witnessed: the Regional Director of the UN in West and Central Africa, Dr. Maxime Houinato; Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, UN Women, Beatrice Eyong; Deputy Country Representative, Nesreen Elmolla, among others.