Group Demands Passage Of Women Inheritance Bill

The international federation of Women Lawyers (Fida) in coalition with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and National Council of Women Society (NCWS) all in Rivers State, yesterday, staged a rally to the Rivers State House of Assembly to press home the need to pass into law the bill on the publication of the curtailment of the right of women to share in family property.

In what could be adjudged a very peaceful rally, the women displayed placards with various inscriptions, such as “Empower a women and Empower a nation,” “Gender should not be a barrier or curse”, “protect the rights of widows”, “Women’s inheritance is biblical”, “women rights are human rights” etc.

Presenting a communiqué from the group to the house, the chairperson of the federation of women lawyers (Fida), Mrs. Eukeria Somiari Pepple, explained that the rally became imperative inspite of the public hearing on the bill, because the women groups were not adequately represented as the Market women as well as the grass root women were not in attendance.

She further said that the public hearing was silent on widows remaining in their matrimonial homes at the demise of their husbands.

In her response, the chairman, house committee on environment, Engineer Victoria Nyeche, representing PH constituency1, who received the group, reassured them of the house is concern on issues of women interest, while pledging to do their best to ensure that women get a fare treatment.

The constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria stipulates that there should be no discrimination against women. Nigeria is a signatory to various treaties that frown at gender discrimination.

The curtailment of the right of women to share in family property is a condemnable discriminatory act. The time to correct it is now!