A bill seeking a minimum of 15 percent female representation
in the armed forces has passed its second reading at the house of
representatives.
The proposed legislation aims to amend the Armed Forces Act
2004 to ensure at least 15 percent of women are represented in the enlistment,
recruitment, and appointment of service personnel.
Sponsor of the bill, Kafilat Ogbara, an All Progressives
Congress (APC) lawmaker from Lagos, said it would address the “systemic
underrepresentation” of women in the military by embedding gender equity into
the legal and administrative framework in Nigeria’s armed forces.
In her legislative brief, the lawmaker said women’s
participation in the armed forces remains significantly low, particularly in
leadership and operational roles.
The legislator said the existing law lacks specific
provisions guaranteeing gender inclusion or affirmative action in recruitment,
training, and promotion.
“This has resulted in systemic underrepresentation of women,
reinforced by cultural and institutional biases,” she said.
Ogbara said the United Nations Security Council resolution
on women, peace and security and Nigeria’s national action plan, advocate
increased participation of women in peace and security structures, including
the military.
“These instruments highlight the importance of gender equity
as a strategic imperative for operational effectiveness, legitimacy, and human
rights compliance within the military,” she said.
The lawmaker said to address these gaps, the proposed
amendment seeks to introduce legally binding provisions guaranteeing a minimum
of 15 percent female representation in the military.
Ogbara said if passed into law, the bill would establish a
unit to monitor and maintain records of gender-responsive compliance.
“The inclusion of a gender-monitoring unit and systematic
disaggregated data collation aligns with international best practices and
Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to equality and non-discrimination under
section 42 of the 1999 constitution,” she said.
Ogbara said the proposed amendment to the Armed Forces Act
is not merely a legislative intervention but a call to justice, equity, and
national progress.
Lawmakers unanimously voted in support of the bill when it
was subjected to a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com