Reps plan special parliamentary seats for women -Deputy speaker

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, has said that the house is currently considering a bill that proposes to reserve specific seats in parliament exclusively for women.

Kalu made this revelation at the 2nd annual Women of Divine Destiny Initiative Inspiring Women Summit, held in Owerri, Imo State.

The summit, themed “Illuminating the Power of an Inspired Woman,” focused on empowering women to achieve their dreams.

The Deputy Speaker highlighted that the bill, titled the “Seat Reservation Bill,” was recently introduced in parliament and is co-sponsored by himself and several colleagues.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to allocate special seats for women in the legislature.

Kalu emphasized that, if passed, the bill would significantly advance women’s representation in politics.

“We must acknowledge, however, that in a society striving for equitable development, addressing fundamental issues like gender equality and inclusiveness is imperative.

“In Nigeria, where women and girls constitute 49.32% of our population, representation in institutions and governance needs urgent attention. Presently, the House of Representatives is considering a bill to improve the representation of women in our legislative institutions, sponsored by myself and other colleagues,” Kalu stated.

He also acknowledged the Peace In South East Project, a social development initiative focused on addressing gender-related concerns.

He commended Dr. Nkechi Rochas Okorocha for organizing the summit and encouraged the participants to maximize their potential, building on the inspiration and motivation they had gained from the event.