• Hamzat Lawal
• Youth Ambassador
• Youth Inclusion

ACTIVIST HAMZAT LAWAL DECORATED AS AMBASSADOR FOR YOUTH INCLUSION IN LEADERSHIP

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  CapitalTimesNews / 3 months
• 0
• 2 min read

Renowned activist and advocate of marginalized communities in Africa, Hamzat Lawal, has been decorated as Ambassador for Youth Inclusion in Leadership for his relentless efforts in advocacy for youth inclusion. The decoration was made by the promoters of the Youth Quota in Parliament Bill, who paid a courtesy visit to Lawal in Abuja. Lawal congratulated the promoter for accelerating the Not Too Young Too Run Act of 2018 and acknowledged that youth quota in Parliament will put an end to the underrepresentation and marginalization of youth in decision-making. “We must engage lawmakers from our point of strength, we have the numbers, we are the largest demographic in the country, so younger Nigerians with capacity to serve the nation must be empowered by the constitution to be part of decision-making, without the fear of being marginalized by the political elite,” he said. Lawal also highlighted the need for special interest groups, including persons with disabilities and younger women, to be represented in government. “There are over 11 million eligible people with disabilities voters in Nigeria, yet they have no representation in the parliament,” he noted. He committed to amplifying the campaign for the Youth Quota in Parliament Bill, stating that harnessing the resourcefulness of energetic youth into meaningful engagement in democracy and decision-making is crucial for Nigeria’s progress. The Youth Quota in Parliament Bill proposes a constitutional provision to guarantee a mandatory quota for young Nigerians in national and state legislatures. The bill seeks to allocate one-third of seats in the National and State Assemblies to young people aged 25-40, including men, young women, and persons with disabilities. Hon. Blessing Oyefeso, the President of Nigeria Youths in Politics and Team Lead of the Youth Quota in Parliament, expressed gratitude for Lawal’s support and commitment to the advocacy.