Twelve years after it was first introduced, Nigeria’s Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill rots in the national assembly while some African peers are writing new laws advancing equality of economic opportunities.
Last Wednesday, a coalition of 229 women groups condemned lawmakers for refusing to amend the constitution to advance inclusion. On the 2022 International Day of Women, the action of the lawmakers comes under uncomfortable scrutiny.
A recent World Bank report on Women, Business and the Law noted that African countries like Gabon, Togo, Angola, Benin, Burundi and two others have enacted and implemented comprehensive legal reforms to achieve greater equality of economic opportunities for women.
In the World Bank gender report, Nigeria scored 63.1 out of 100, lower than its Africa peer countries like Gabon ( 82.5) Togo (81.9), Benin (80.6), Angola (79.4), Burundi (76.3), Sierra Leone (72.5) and Egypt (50.6).
In the previous year’s index, Nigeria’s remained unchanged with 63.1, while Gabon, Benin, Angola, Burundi, Sierra Leone and Egypt improved from 57.5, 75.5, 73.1, 73.1, 69.4 and 45.0 respectively. While Togo declined from 84.4.
The annual report measures laws and regulations across 190 countries in eight areas impacting women’s economic participation – mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pensions. It captured reforms that occurred in the period from October 2, 2020, to October 1, 2021.
“Sub-Saharan African regions showed the largest improvements in the Index in 2021, though they continue to lag behind other parts of the world overall. The region implemented comprehensive reforms, achieving the second-highest improvement in the index last year,” the report noted.
It also highlighted some of the reforms that the countries took to improve gender equality. For example, Gabon stands out with comprehensive reforms to its civil code and the enactment of a law on the elimination of violence against women.
Angola enacted legislation criminalizing sexual harassment in employment. Benin removed restrictions on women’s employment in construction so that they could work in all the same jobs in the same way as men. Burundi mandated equal remuneration for work of equal value.
Sierra Leone made access to credit easier for women by prohibiting gender-based discrimination in financial services. Togo introduced new legislation which no longer prohibits the dismissal of pregnant workers, reducing women’s economic opportunities.
And Egypt enacted legislation protecting women from domestic violence and made access to credit easier for women by prohibiting gender-based discrimination in financial services.
Globally, women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential.
Gender equality and empowerment is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations (UN) to be achieved by the year 2030.
It requires urgent action to eliminate the many root causes of discrimination that still curtail women’s rights in private and public spheres.
“While progress has been made, the gap between men’s and women’s expected lifetime earnings globally is €152.53 trillion – nearly two times the world’s annual GDP,” said Mari Pangestu, World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships.
“As we move forward to achieve green, resilient and inclusive development, governments need to accelerate the pace of legal reforms so that women can realize their full potential and benefit fully and equally.”
According to data from a 2021 Global Gender Gap Index by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Nigeria ranked 139th position out of 153 countries, the worst ranking since 2006.
Analysts say cultural practices that elevate patriarchy are major impediments. This is constraining opportunities for women.
“When women lead in government, we see bigger investments in social protections and greater roles against poverty,” said Deodata Mukazariye, a representative of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
The World Bank report said women in Nigeria face gaps in economic empowerment and challenges to the exercise of voice and agency.
This situation is what the Nigeria’s Gender and Equal Opportunity bill was designed to stop. It seeks to eliminate gender inequality in politics, education, and employment but has been marooned in the national assembly for over a decade.
Lawmakers who are mostly men, always find a pretext to halt the bill’s passage into law. Last December they turned it down over concerns it may infringe on Islamic mores.
Denying equal opportunity for everyone, experts say impacts the country poorly.
“When women are given the same opportunities as men, they enter and remain in the labor force, strengthening economies and enabling development,” said the World Bank document.
Alikor Victor, a development and health economist also noted that it doesn’t mark the country’s leadership as serious about fostering national development.
