Abeokuta — The wife of the Ekiti State
Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, Thursday criticised the Senate for voting
against the proposed amendments to the Constitution which forbids
underage marriage in Nigeria.
The Senate had recently approved the marriage of under-aged children, irrespective of their age in the country. The new law, according to the Senate, would proscribe the 18 year-old rule for any Nigerian child to qualify for marriage.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti at the second annual public lecture organised by Women and Children Development and Health Research Initiative in collaboration with the Ekiti Development Foundation.
While expressing disgust at the action, the governor's wife said such would further cause a decline in female access to education in Nigeria.
Fayemi was reacting to Wednesday's debate at the Senate, where Senators had reversed a vote appeared to outlaw underage marriage in the ongoing constitution amendment , particularly the amendment to Section 29(a) of the 1999 Constitution that pegs the full age to 18.
She urged the women folk to rise up and reject the Senate's action, which she described as inimical to the growth and liberation of female gender in the country.
"I am seriously disappointed that the senators could reverse the vote that would have outlawed underage marriage.
"I want to charge the women to rise up and reject the action by pressing for the criminalisation of early marriage in Nigeria," she said.
The Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN), a coalition of women rights' organisations across the country yesterday rejected Senate's resolution on underage marriage.
Another group, the Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) also called on the National Assembly to reconsider their resolution to remove age limitation of women in marriage.
However, a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the group, Ms Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, made available to journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, rejected the argument of Senator Ahmed Yerima, that the proposal for the deletion of section 29 (4)(b), which states that "any woman who is married shall be deemed of full age" is at variance with Islamic law.
The Senate had recently approved the marriage of under-aged children, irrespective of their age in the country. The new law, according to the Senate, would proscribe the 18 year-old rule for any Nigerian child to qualify for marriage.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti at the second annual public lecture organised by Women and Children Development and Health Research Initiative in collaboration with the Ekiti Development Foundation.
While expressing disgust at the action, the governor's wife said such would further cause a decline in female access to education in Nigeria.
Fayemi was reacting to Wednesday's debate at the Senate, where Senators had reversed a vote appeared to outlaw underage marriage in the ongoing constitution amendment , particularly the amendment to Section 29(a) of the 1999 Constitution that pegs the full age to 18.
She urged the women folk to rise up and reject the Senate's action, which she described as inimical to the growth and liberation of female gender in the country.
"I am seriously disappointed that the senators could reverse the vote that would have outlawed underage marriage.
"I want to charge the women to rise up and reject the action by pressing for the criminalisation of early marriage in Nigeria," she said.
The Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN), a coalition of women rights' organisations across the country yesterday rejected Senate's resolution on underage marriage.
Another group, the Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) also called on the National Assembly to reconsider their resolution to remove age limitation of women in marriage.
However, a statement signed by the National Coordinator of the group, Ms Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, made available to journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, rejected the argument of Senator Ahmed Yerima, that the proposal for the deletion of section 29 (4)(b), which states that "any woman who is married shall be deemed of full age" is at variance with Islamic law.
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