Hon Billy enjoins Stakeholders to support Bill Seeking Increased Seats for Women in Politics
Honorable member representing Orhionmwon/ Uhunmwode federal constituency, Edo state and deputy Chairman, House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Hon Chief Dr Billy Osawar
He addressed the importance of women participation in politics at the International Legislative Dialogue on Women and Constitution Amendment Process in Nigeria, organized by the House Committee on Constitution Review in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), held in Abuja on Monday.
Hon Billy acknowledges the challenge of
getting the president to assent to the bill and
stresses the importance of taking the issue
seriously.
He also calls for collective action from
all stakeholders, including parliamentarians,
women’s groups, advocacy groups, and the
media, to make women’s representation a
priority.
He said “As a member of parliament, I moved the motion some few months ago on 35% affirmative action for women. I strongly believe if our women are encouraged in representation, they will do very well. But it has to be a holistic solution. We have to look at so many factors why women have not been fairly represented in government in Nigeria, and we’ll proffered those solutions. And I think one of those solutions is what we are bringing together by actually pushing a bill to see how we can bring more women into governance.
Expressing optimism about getting the President’s assent on the bill, Hon Billy enjoins all stakeholders and the media to echo their voices in support of the bill, “it depends on how serious we take it. As parliamentarians, our job is to make sure this bill goes through. But what about the women group? They have to come out, the advocacy group, they have to come out, even the civil society group, every group that believes that women should be fairly represented, they all should come out. Make it a priority. Let’s make some noise, even the media. Let’s continue to talk about it. And we have a responsive president. And I think if he sees the way everyone is pushing it, every stakeholder is pushing this, there will be an assent, he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Deputy Speaker, Hon Benjamin Kalu hinted that
the gathering serves as a reaffirmation of the collective dedication to advancing women’s political representation and inclusion, a priority that aligns deeply with the Legislative Agenda of the House of Representatives and the pursuit of a fairer, more inclusive Nigeria.
Hon Kalu further highlighted that Countries that have successfully integrated women into
decision-making roles experience gains in innovation, collaboration across sectors, and, notably, economic growth. In Africa for example, comparative insights from Rwanda, Tanzania, and Senegal indicate the transformative benefits of gender parity in government leadership that Nigeria can emulate.
For instance, reports indicate that Nigeria could potentially achieve a 9% increase in GDP by 2025 with significant improvements in
women’s participation across all sectors. Investing in women’s leadership,
particularly within the political sphere, thus carries measurable and far-reaching benefits that we cannot afford to overlook.
“Recognizing these benefits, the House of Representatives has made constitutional reform a cornerstone of its legislative agenda. I am honored to lead the House Committee on Constitution Review, where we have proposed bills aimed at correcting the gender imbalance within government at all levels. One such critical bill, “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for Seat Reservation for Women in the National and State Houses of Assembly” (HB 1349), alongside four other gender justice bills, are under consideration.
This proposed legislation is designed to remedy the low representation of women by creating additional seats specifically for female candidates in national and state legislatures.
According to the Deputy Speaker, Countries with higher women’s representation in governance consistently show higher rates of progress in health, education, and economic stability. Our society, therefore, stands to gain immensely from a legislature that reflects the diverse makeup of its citizenry and values contributions from all perspectives.
