The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters has postponed its public hearing on a Bill for an Act to Incorporate and Enforce Certain Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, and other Matters Connected Therewith till further notice after failing to meet the required quorum of 4 Senators. Only the Committee Chairman, Sen. David Umaru and Senator Joshua Lidani were at the hearing.

Among others, the Bill sponsored by Sen. Biodun Olujimi seeks to give effect to chapters II and IV of the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It also seeks to affirm the principle of non-discrimination and proclaims that all humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and that everyone is entitled to all the rights set out without distinction of any kind including distinctions based on sex.

It will be recalled that this is the second time that the Bill has been introduced to the 8^th Senate. At its first presentation to the Senate, the Bill was rejected at second reading on 15^th March 2016 after some law makers were of the view that its provisions were inconsistent with some provisions of the constitution and superfluous since the Nigerian Constitution already guarantees freedom against discrimination. Consequently, Sen. Olujimi re-introduced a new Bill that reflected some of these concerns on 15^th June 2016.

Although the Committee Chairman has reassured the general public of a hearing at a later date, the postponement was met with protests by stakeholders and civil society groups who were unsatisfied and questioned lawmakers regard for women’s rights.