The United Nations Women (UN Women) Nigeria Country Representative, Beatrice Eyong, has revealed that the agency is supporting a bill aimed at securing special seats for women in the National Assembly.
Speaking at the ‘Women Who Inspire You’ exhibition organized by the French Embassy to mark International Women’s Day, Eyong emphasized that while Nigeria has made progress in gender equality since 2015, women’s leadership in governance remains a major gap.
She debunked the notion that seats are already reserved for women in the legislature, clarifying that existing policies, including the revised National Gender Policy’s 35% female representation recommendation, have not been fully implemented.
“Nigeria has ratified 75% of all legal instruments promoting women’s rights, but implementation remains the challenge,” she stated.
UN Women is now exploring various approaches to ensure women’s representation in the legislature, reinforcing calls for policies that guarantee fair political participation.
