Young women intensify push for Special Seats Bill
Source: Guardian Nigeria
Women’s political advocates have expressed concern that the proposed Special Seats Bill, designed to increase female representation in Nigeria’s legislative bodies, will not influence the composition of the 2027 general elections after failing to complete the constitutional amendment process before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timeline closed.
The bill, a constitutional amendment proposal seeking to create 182 additional seats exclusively for women across the National Assembly and state legislatures, remains at the committee stage in the National Assembly despite renewed advocacy efforts and widespread support from women’s groups.
The legislation, first introduced during the Ninth National Assembly and reintroduced in 2024, was conceived as a response to Nigeria’s low level of female political representation and draws inspiration from the Beijing Platform for Action and Nigeria’s National Gender Policy.
Women’s political advocates have expressed concern that the proposed Special Seats Bill, designed to increase female representation in Nigeria’s legislative bodies, will not influence the composition of the 2027 general elections after failing to complete the constitutional amendment process before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timeline closed.
The bill, a constitutional amendment proposal seeking to create 182 additional seats exclusively for women across the National Assembly and state legislatures, remains at the committee stage in the National Assembly despite renewed advocacy efforts and widespread support from women’s groups.
The legislation, first introduced during the Ninth National Assembly and reintroduced in 2024, was conceived as a response to Nigeria’s low level of female political representation and draws inspiration from the Beijing Platform for Action and Nigeria’s National Gender Policy.