The Deputy Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Comfort Ojoma Nwuchiola, has called for an end to gender discrimination in the state.
Presenting a Bill on Gender Representation in Public and Private Offices in Kogi during plenary on Tuesday, Nwuchiola said the bill seeks to address gender imbalances in leadership and decision-making roles in both public and private sectors by ensuring fair and proportional representation of women and men to ensure justice in driving economic growth and social progress in the state.
She explained that the bill will guarantee elimination of gender-based discrimination, contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), create role models, change social norms and reduce marginalization of women.
“The Bill further seeks to attain proportionate gender representation in participating in governance and corporate structures. The bill, therefore, aligns with the principle of proportionate representation, ensuring that no gender is left behind;
“Fostering inclusive governance for improved decision-making and ensuring democratic participation and representation,” she submitted.
Hon. Nwuchiola said the bill was in compliance with national and international standards by upholding the Nigerian Constitution’s provisions on non-discrimination and by removing barriers to gender representation, and with Nigeria being a signatory to various international conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the bill aligns Kogi State’s laws with these global commitments.
