In order to brighten the prospect of enhanced women participation in the politics of ECOWAS regional Parliament, Speaker Mohamed Sidie Tunis has said a major constitutional overhaul would be required to guarantee Affirmative Action for women.
He disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday, after the opening session of the Delocalised meeting underway in Monrovia, Liberia. "it is practically impossible to implement an affirmative action for women without first understaking a holistic overhaul of the national constitutions of Member States and the parliament."
According to him, the idea of enhanced women participation through deliberate policy like Affirmative Action is an idea whose time is long overdue.
However, he cautioned that the chances of Affirmative Action will fair better, if Direct Election into the Community Parliament is implimented. Sidie explained that the parliament is committed to see Direct Election and Affirmative Action to fruition, insisting that, when parliamentarians are elected solely for the parliament, it will enhance their concentration as there would be no distractions from national parliaments.
He revealed that a Transition Committee is already in place and has had its first meeting in December last year. "One of the issue that has emanated from the activities of the Committee is the issue of funding. But I think funding is infinitesimal part of what is required. I think the first thing is changing national laws because it did not envisage direct election into the parliament. I assure you this Committee will continue to work until we are able to achieve our set objectives."
The vice President of Liberia has challenged the ECOWAS Parliament to push for appropriate implementation of the community protocol on gender and human equality across regional and local governments. Vice President Jewel Taylor made this request while concluding her keynote address presented before the Plenary at the official opening of the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament seating in Abuja. Jewel stated that Gender equality is a fundamental human right, yet women are underrepresented in power and decision making roles, women around the region do not fully experience equal rights and their potential as economic, social and sustainable change-agents remains untapped. She said “Excellency, special guest, distinguish members of the ECOWAS Parliament, as I close, permit me to say I will be remiss if I remain silent at this august gathering of regional leaders about the perennial issue of the lack of gender inequality in our local and regional body politics;
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