Sub Saharan Africa

Sixty women including young women in government, politics, civil society, women network and movements from different West African countries, yesterday converged at Hotel Barmoi in Freetown to participate in the 5thWest African Women Policy Forum to chat the way forward for women’s empowerment and effective participation in politics and decision- making.

GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has extolled the virtues and the spirit of the Nigerian woman and the emerging resurgence of women in the country’s politics.

Fashola spoke at the 12th yearly conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), held at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotel, Lagos.

He described the resurgence of women in politics as a welcome development because without women, the journey would have been more different.

The government is urging Members of Parliament to support a Bill that backs party nominations to fill special seats in Parliament and the Senate, to meet the gender representation rule.

Attorney General Githu Muigai in an interview with Capital FM News advised MPs to pass the Bill published by Mutula Kilonzo when he was the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister to avoid a constitutional crisis.

19-year-old Proscovia Alengot Oromait is now the youngest Member of Parliament in African history after running for and winning the MP position left vacant by her father in Usuk County of eastern Uganda. The teenager had been planning to go to university, but was derailed following her father's death when she felt the pull to go into politics. Oromait beat out eight other candidates, having garnered 11,059 votes (her closest rival got 5,329 votes).