The Young Women in Politics Forum (YWIPF) FCT chapter has called for support for the Special Seats Bill, a critical legislative initiative aimed at creating additional seats for women at both federal and state levels. This move, through a launched campaign to garner support, underscores a significant push for inclusive governance to address the gender imbalance in Nigerian politics.
Its Coordinator, Nnyen Adomi, emphasized the urgency of correcting Nigeria’s gender imbalance in governance, stating that affirmative action is not a favor but a necessary tool.
In a signed statement made available to the media in Abuja, Adomi highlighted the chapter’s commitment to taking the message of the Special Seats Bill to the grassroots and actively engaging legislators to ensure its passage.
According to the statement, the initiative stems from a dynamic training session held on July 25, 2025, in partnership with She Matters Foundation. The training brought together young women, political enthusiasts, and gender advocates from across the FCT to equip them with the knowledge and strategy needed to promote the Bill.
“The Bill is aimed at creating additional legislative seats for women, both at the Federal and State levels,” Adomi stated.
“We are committed to taking this message to the grassroots and engaging legislators to support the Bill’s passage. The purpose of this training is to equip participants with the knowledge and strategy needed to promote the Bill.”
Priye Diri, a Nigerian Feminist Film Writer and Director, who led the first session of the training, underscored the imperative for affirmative action.
“Affirmative action is not a favour but a necessary tool to correct Nigeria’s gender imbalance in governance. I encouraged participants to build sisterhoods, join political parties, leverage digital platforms, and create personal brands rooted in advocacy,” Diri asserted.
Barrister Faith Waziri, the National Coordinator of YWIPF, facilitated the second phase, highlighting alarming legislative gaps in gender representation.
“Fourteen states in Nigeria currently have no female representation in their Houses of Assembly,” Waziri revealed. “We call for urgent legislative action to ensure women’s inclusion.”
To put their knowledge into action, participants stormed Garki Market for a grassroots awareness campaign, where market women reportedly welcomed the initiative with excitement and expressed strong support for the bill. They affirmed that women’s active participation in politics is a bold step toward a truly inclusive democracy.
The Special Seats Bill is a proposed constitutional amendment in Nigeria designed to address the persistent and alarming underrepresentation of women in the country’s legislative bodies. Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of women’s political participation globally, a stark reality that this Bill seeks to correct.
The Bill has successfully passed its second reading in the National Assembly, indicating a growing recognition of the need for gender inclusivity. However, it still needs to navigate further stages, including committee reviews, a third reading, and ultimately, approval from at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly before receiving presidential assent to become law.
The YWIPF FCT Chapter, is actively engaged in advocating for women’s political participation.
