The Deputy Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Maria Edeko, has described political inclusion of women as a crucial step toward national progress and sustainable development.
Edeko who made the call on Friday in Benin at an event organised to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day, noted that women’s inclusion is not just a matter of fairness, but that it will be a measure to create gendsr equality.
She charged National and State Houses of Assembly to support the passage of a bill to create special seats for women in elective positions.
While acknowledging the pain women go through in their respective communities and especially in the political circle, she noted that the special seats would give women increased representation.
Edeko who lamented that Nigeria has only four percent women representation, compared to Rwanda’s over 60 percent women in governance, noted that creating special seats for women will strengthen democracy by ensuring inclusive governance and diverse representation in decision-making.
“It is sad to see that we have a country where we have few women in elective positions and in the legislature, and they are also constantly suppressed.
“We have a bill for a law in the National Assembly for the creation of special seats for women, and we urge political leaders, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and people of goodwill to support the bill.
“The special seats would not infringe on the rights of anyone who aspires to any elective position,” she added.
Edeko emphasised that empowering women politically would lead to policies that addressed social welfare, education, and economic development, benefiting the entire nation.
She urged political parties to take deliberate steps in supporting women aspirants, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to contest and win elections.
In her goodwill message, the first lady mechanic in Nigeria, Mrs. Sandra Aguebor, urged women to acquire skills that would empower them and create wealth for themselves.
She noted that as a female mechanic, she has trained and empowered over 4,000 women nationwide, a job she said had taken her to several countries.
She called on women leaders to support young girls in acquiring skills instead of prostituting themselves and taking to drugs.
