The President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, stated that the Gender Equality Bill that was turned down on Tuesday, will be redrafted and submitted for reconsideration by the senate.

This was contained in a statement signed by the special assistant to the Senate President on Gender, Fatima Kakuri.

The statement, which noted the importance of the bill, also said that Senator Biodun Olujimi, who had introduced the bill, will reintroduce it after the parts deemed unsuitable by the senate are deleted or redrafted.

Saraki stated that: “Today, we discussed the Domestication of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention Eliminating all forms of discrimination against women under A Bill For An Act To Incorporate and Enforce Certain Provisions of The United Nations Convention On The Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women – the protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, and Other Matters Connected Therewith.”

“As I said during the International Womens Day last week, I am of the opinion that there are substantial parts of the bill that are crucial to the development of our nation such as the Equal Access to Education, strengthening of the laws on Violence against Women, Ending Abduction of girls, Sustenance and Promotion of Entrepreneurship opportunities, Gender Mainstreaming and Gender equality, female participation in governance, among others.”

“Unfortunately, the bill suffered a slight set back because there were some parts of the Bill that some Senators disagreed with along the lines of religion and tradition. The beauty of democracy is that it gives us the opportunity to consider different opinions and this bill can still be represented and reconsidered on the floor of the Senate.”

“I have it on good authority that Senator Biodun Olujimi who introduced this bill will reintroduce it after re-drafting it to address some of the reservations that were expressed on the floor of the Senate.”

Mazi Emeka