Foundation advocates 50% affirmative action for women

A non-governmental organisa-tion (NGO), Helpline Foundation for the Needy, based in Abuja, has called for 50 per cent affirmative action in the next political dispensation.
Its president, Mrs. Jumai Ahmadu, made the call at the weekend when the Foundation joined Nigerians and the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s Women’s Day themed “Equality for Women is Progress for All.”

She said: “I want to align myself with the position of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan when she said that ‘the time has come to further strengthen and broaden the opportunities to women for rapid national transformation’ to me, there is no better time than now.”

According to her, the call for 50 per cent affirmative action is hinged on the performance of women in President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet, and that there is the need to upscale the percentage from 35 to 50.