Public Hearing On Two Bills By RSHA: Rivers NAWOJ’s Position

Discrimination against women and the girl child in Nigeria has been a very issue of concern. Most people in the country, leverage on the erroneous belief that women are not to roll or compete with the men folk and treat the women and the girl child with a kind of less regard.
These very beliefs have further empowered traditional practitioners to vent their anger on women by subjecting them to genital mutilation even at their old age. This very act of genital mutilation had been outlawed by the Rivers State Government years ago, but surprisingly, still holds sway and celebrated at some quarters in the state.
Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 (as amended), does empower Nigerians at all levels not to discriminate against any one due to the circumstances surrendering one’s birth.
To us in Ikwerre ethnic nationality of the state (other tribes, may not be free from this too), it is a tool to allow women share in their father’s inheritance, just because they are women. They will not remember that they are women when the men folk will invite the women to intercede on their behalf in the event of serious communal issues.
This to my mind calls for serious attention from concerned and relevant authorities in an urgent attempt to nip the ugly development in the bud.
Thanks to the National Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter, which on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, approached the 9th Assembly led by the honourable Speaker, Rt. Hon Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani to make its position known to the lawmakers on the need to streamline the issues of obnoxious traditional practices and discrimination laws against women and the girl child in the State.
NAWOJ applauded the State Assembly for the bold step taken to pass the bill on Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshots 2022.
It further expressed the hope that the bill when passed into law will bring relief to families of those who have passed on and innocent people who suffered from raids and robbery attacks as a result of stray bullets.
The association also believed that the bill will bring hospitals on their toes, because demanding for police report before treatment is like placing documents above life.
As a group pushing for rights of women to share in family property, NAWOJ commended the Assembly for considering the Curtailment of the Rights of Women to Share in Family Property Bill, 2022. All these are targeted at bridging the gap between the male and female-folks in terms of inheritance sharing cum allocation.
Projecting itself as a spring board for women emancipation, it was of the view that the bill when passed into law would end all sorts of discriminations against women and girls in inheritance and explicitly, allow females to inherit property and land on an equal basis with males.
This may not sit well with many. and Going by the global practice, women are now seen as equal with their male counterparts and not the other way round.
No one wants to be left behind in the global trend of things. Everyone wants to own an iPhone, latest this, latest that, but almost everyone in this side of the hemisphere (especially the men), want to depart from the parochial belief that women are not meant to even stand and talk or argue with men.
Thanks to the Susan Serekara-Nwikana-led NAWOJ, who appealed with the RSHA to consider the bill, and reminded the Assembly that state civil Laws should have supremacy over customary laws and practices that discriminate against women and girls in the society.
In most cases, people play down on the above point. They juxtapose traditional belief with the safety and health of the people, wherein, Customary laws and practice are put forward to the detriment of the people, because it is our custom and tradition. It ought not to be.
The association also wants the legislation to include that, upon remarrying, a surviving spouse retains the full rights in any property she inherited from the deceased husband’s estate.
The association equally gives its profound gratitude to the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike for championing the upliftment of women in political positions in the state. They pointed out the governor’s insistence on women to be voted in as vice chairpersons in all the 23 local government areas of the State, as paramount.
Another issue of concern about Governor Wike’s care and concern, as the female pen pushers said, was that of ensuring that his Deputy is a woman.
According to them, Governor Wike, has fought for the protection and security of some daughters of the soil, using that of the onetime Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Joi Nunieh, when harassed by agents of the Federal Government as a case study. They were of the opinion that women deserve all round protection and care from the people especially public office holders.
Appreciating the Governor for assenting to the Violence Against Person Prohibition Law (VAPP), among others, they want also a violence-free environment that will enthrone the promotion of rule of law.
Their position was to make the state rank as the best gender-friendly state in Africa. This is another way to market the state. The state must not wait until some investors have come to announce it to the world. Such ‘cheap’ points can make the state.
Women are very powerful warlords. Bible scholars can recall what Deborah and Jael did (Judges Chapters Four and Five). Male war champions suffered not only defeat in their hands, but death.
The time to give attention to women’s requests and prayers is now!
NAWOJ as an association is the first respondent in issues of abuses, discrimination and neglect in collaboration with sister agencies, has continued to champion the cause of women and girls in the society by making sure that their voices are heard using various media platforms.

By: King Onunwor