Source: Daily Trust
First Lady Patience Jonathan has called on the National Assembly to enact a law on 35per cent participation of women in government. The president's wife who also called for a legislation that would guarantee the education of the girl child in Nigeria. Speaking in Lagos yesterday at the national conference on 100 years of the Nigerian woman, she said it was important for lawmakers to make laws that would support the growth of women in the country.
According to her, active participation of women in the current administration will continue after the current tenure if such a law is in place.
She urged Nigerian women to emulate past heroines who contributed immensely to the freedom and growth of the country.
The first lady challenged the modern day women to fight against poverty, gender based violence, discrimination against the girl child as well as negative traditional practices.
According to her, the education of the girl child and the promotion of gender equity are crucial to the development of the country and would help in achieving the theme of the conference "Achieving 50-50 by 20-20."
"Nigerian women must continue to show appreciation to the administration of President Jonathan, because for the first time in the history of Nigeria, since independence, women are being brought into limelight. The success or failure of this administration rests on the shoulders of Nigerian women, based on the kind of portfolio women hold in the present administration. Women should know that this is their administration and must work for it to succeed."