Constitution Amendment: CUPP Urges Lawmakers to Expedite Work on Gender Bills

Udora Orizu in Abuja

As the world marked the International Women’s Day today, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has charged the National Assembly to expedite work on all women-friendly bills before the parliament.
The House of Representatives had at the plenary, rescinded its decision and agreed to reconsider three out of the four gender bills which were rejected by the lawmakers during last week’s voting on constitution amendment.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, the spokesman of CUPP, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere expressed sadness over the earlier rejection of the gender bills by the lawmakers.
While reaffirming the opposition parties’ resolve to end all forms of Gender-Based Violence within their powers, the CUPP also charged the lawmakers to further enlarge the space for public participation of women in the economic and socio-political aspects of the nation’s daily life. 
Ikenga said, “The leader of the opposition family, Iyorchia Ayu is pained by the earlier parliamentary decision and have since commenced action towards mobilising our lawmakers on how best to deal with the challenges posed by the rejection of the bill. International Women’s Day is another opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a people in giving our women the pride of place in our society, in conformity with relevant best practices. 
“It is an occasion to reaffirm our support for implementable affirmative actions for our women and to further re-emphasise our firm resolve to end all forms of Gender-Based Violence within our powers. We therefore join all men of goodwill across the world to celebrate our immensely resourceful and industrious women, while calling on all Parliaments to favourably expedite work on all women-friendly bills before them, to further enlarge the space for public participation of our women in the economic and socio-political aspects of our daily life.”