A coalition of 180 civil society organisations in Lagos, working on the Spotlight Initiative Project, has called for a women-friendly constitution. The group wants a document,which does not only speak to the aspiration of the Nigerian people, but includes women. xAmong the demands, Akiyode-Afolabi said the language of the current constitution is insensitive to its populace and excludes women. “In the current constitution, the word “he” is used 235 times, while ‘women’ is referenced only twice,” Akiyode-Afolabi said. WARDC said such masculine languages are gender-biased and undermine women and girls’ rights and participation, thereby hindering inclusive governance in Nigeria.

Source: The Guardian June 04, 2021 03:45 UTC