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Jun
WOMEN JOURNALISTS CALL FOR PASSAGE OF SPECIAL SEAT BILL TO BOOST FEMALE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
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CapitalTimesNews / 2 months
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- 3 min read
Women journalists across Nigeria have renewed calls for the urgent passage of the Special Seat Bill aimed at increasing female representation in governance. The bill, co-sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and 12 other legislators, proposes constitutional amendments to reserve specific seats for women in the Senate, House of Representatives, and State Houses of Assembly. The call was made during the “Fit for Inclusion” programme held in Abuja, a collaborative initiative organized by the Women in Media Development Initiative (WIMDI) in partnership with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, and Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI). According to the stakeholders, the bill is a critical step toward inclusive and equitable political participation. “Women are politically marginalized. A woman understands the challenges women face. This bill is not just a political tool—it is a corrective mechanism for structural imbalance,” a speaker noted. The stakeholders emphasized the importance of grassroots advocacy and community sensitization to build public support and pressure lawmakers into acting. “We must stop seeing it as ‘women’s seats’ and instead as a democratic necessity to ensure fair representation. This campaign must now begin from the grassroots—bottom-up, not top-down,” they emphasized. NAWOJ FCT Chairperson, Comrade Bassey Ita Ikpang, urged media practitioners to promote “responsible and issue-based journalism” and challenge stereotypes. “Let’s stop viewing women leaders through the lens of gender alone. Let’s highlight what they bring to the table. Women journalists must do more to educate the electorate, particularly at the grassroots, on why the Special Seat Bill matters.” Adaora Sydney Jack, Executive Director of GSAI, shared her personal experience in politics, saying, “Until I ran for office, I never understood the real barriers. Now, I say this with conviction: you can’t fix the system from the outside. We need more women in the room—even if the room is broken.” She highlighted the current low female representation in the National Assembly, with only 3 women in the Senate and 15 out of 360 in the House of Representatives. Lara Owoeye-Wise, a veteran journalist, advocated for a collective digital campaign to spread awareness. “Let every NAWOJ member use their social media handles, airwaves, and networks. If the Bill passes, it will be because our voices were united—for our daughters, for our future.” The programme concluded with a strong consensus: media advocacy, grassroots education, and strategic engagement with policymakers are key to ensuring that the Special Seat Bill becomes law and that women’s voices are fully represented in Nigeria’s democratic process.
