The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused pro-women groups protesting against the rejection of gender bills at the National Assembly of keeping quiet when schoolgirls were allegedly denied entry into schools over their use of hijab.
This comes amid increasing agitations by Nigerian women for an increase in the number of female members in the National Assembly (NASS) and the state legislature.
Also, following the rejection of the gender equality bill by lawmakers on Tuesday, there have been protests by women groups.
Over 200 pro-women groups on Wednesday protested at the National Assembly Complex, calling on lawmakers to pass the affected bills.
Noting the need to condemn violence against women, a statement by Ishaq Akintola, the group’s director, on Thursday said, “That is why we must all condemn the unwarranted aggression mounted by the tree-climbing senator, Dino Melaye, against Senator Oluremi Tinubu. His words were vulgar. His action was repulsive. His demeanour was very cowardly, most despicable and highly bohemian.
“A female politician has also recounted how her male counterparts threatened to forcefully undress her at the venue of a political meeting if she insists on supporting a particular candidate at that meeting. She promptly shut up. This is very shameful.
“Unfortunately, the 200 women groups who are now protesting went on sabbatical at that time. There was no women’s liberation group’s voice to support the brave woman. She fought her battle alone. But she won. That must never be allowed to happen again.
“Women in politics must adopt the slogan ‘Attack One, Attack All’. It does not matter which political party the female victim belongs to. Women must come together to condemn the aggressor.
“As a little digression, how many of the 200 women groups who are demanding increased number of seats for women in the NASS and in the state legislatures have uttered a word in the face of encroachments on Allah-given fundamental rights of female Muslim students in the South West?
“These innocent female students are the women of tomorrow. They have been humiliated, harassed, intimidated and coerced into compromising their identity.
“They have also been expelled from school on account of an ordinary scarf called hijab. The girl-child has been denied education and locked out of school. Yet the girl-child is the woman politician tomorrow. Why has deafness enveloped women groups and the rest of civil society over her plight to date? It is a shame.”
The group also advised Nigerian politicians against holding meetings late into the night, in order to encourage women’s participation in politics.
The group further advised politicians to put a stop to thuggery and hooliganism to make politics attractive to women, adding that a violence-free political environment will encourage husbands to support their wives to go into politics while parents will also allow their daughters to do the same.
It further noted that politicians who have no regard for women must be excommunicated while stating that women politicians must never be bullied.
The statement from MURIC further reads: “The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) supports the struggle for women’s participation in politics but with the proviso that such participation does not negate the teachings of Islam on the role of women in the family.
“In fact, Islam has pushed for the liberation of women since the revelation of the Glorious Qur’an more than fifteen decades ago.
“To this end, we advise Nigerian politicians to make the political architecture women-friendly and family-value-compliant. A situation whereby political meetings are held till late in the night is not conducive for women’s participation. Politicians should therefore adjust their programmes and make them attractive and accessible to women.
“Nigerians should stop deceiving themselves. No responsible husband will willingly approve his wife’s participation in politics if political meetings are held till late in the evening. Neither will any loving and caring father allow his young unmarried daughter to join politics in the present political atmosphere.
“We must also stop thuggery and hooliganism to make politics attractive to women. Nay, politicians must eschew women-bullying to allow for free entry of women into politics.
“Only cowards bully women. Islam holds women in high esteem. A violence-free political environment will also encourage husbands to support their wives to go into politics while parents will also allow their daughters to do same.”
