Paul Njoku Reveals How Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji Advanced Women’s Inheritance Rights Law In Abia – Challenges Hon. Obi Aguocha To Show Legislative Scorecard On Women’s Rights

Paul Njoku Reveals How Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji Advanced Women’s Inheritance Rights Law In Abia – Challenges Hon. Obi Aguocha To Show Legislative Scorecard On Women’s Rights

As a human rights activist, I do not joke with matters involving violation and oppression of women and people living with disabilities. I hate oppressors of mankind in any way and capacity being the reason I choose to speak truth to power no matter whose ox is gored.

However, I deeply commend Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji for his landmark but courageous sponsorship of a bill and its passage into the Abia State law tagged, “Abia STATE FEMALE PERSONS RIGHT OF INHERITANCE OF PROPERTY LAW, 2022”.

To me, that law is an uncommon milestone recorded under his leadership as the then Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly.

The law is a significant variable which in my opinion, the current member representing Umuahia/Ikwuano Federal Constituency, Hon. Obi Aguocha, has not primarily recorded similar productive scorecard neither does he understand the paramount importance of speaking in defense of women’s rights. I challenge him to show the people his legislative scorecard on gender discrimination and equality laws (not bills) at the National Assembly.

Gender equality or non-discrimination has been recognized in a wide range of binding and none binding international human rights instruments, including declarations and other standards e.g. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted in 1979 and came into force 3 September 1981, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 1965, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights etc.

International and national law chiefly regulates discrimination as it relates to gender equality when addressing cases of human rights. Equal treatment of men and women in the workplace around the globe including Nigeria faced with several challenges.

In recent time, women have made progress in the educational sector and despite their educational attainments; they are faced with discrimination at the workplace. The discrimination witnessed by women on a daily basis is not distant from the level of education or access to education as well as culture and religion, which equally regulate rights and duties of women in various backgrounds.

We should be concerned to human rights as it relates to gender and discrimination by appraising gender impacts on culture and religion, education and workplace under Nigerian perspective.

We should note the obligation under international and or national law in human rights protection under civil and political rights as well as economic social and cultural rights.

Possible reforms must be suggested, which includes adopting national human rights legislation dealing specifically on discrimination in the workplace and inheritance.

Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji made the legislation because it represents a significant step toward justice, equality and the protection of women’s property rights. It challenges discriminatory practices that deny women the opportunity to inherit and own property simply because of their gender.

For daughters, widows and women across Abia State, the law stands as an important affirmation that women deserve dignity, equal protection and a rightful place in the ownership of family property.

Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji is aware that it is the kind of society we want to build. He is a lover of gender equality founded on fairness, equality, justice and opportunity for all. This is the reason why the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency must stand firm, support and vote a credible and reliable leader in the person of Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji who will make similar democratic policies and interventions at the national level.

Why the law matters:

✅Promotes gender equality: It helps remove discriminatory practices that previously treated women as second-class members of their own families.

✅Protects women’s property rights: Women can legally assert their right to inherit and own property rather than being excluded simply because they are female.

✅Strengthens women’s economic independence: Advances social development: Equal property rights can contribute to greater economic participation and more inclusive development and provide women with greater financial security and economic opportunity.

✅Protects widows and daughters: The legal recognition of inheritance rights gives women a stronger basis for challenging discriminatory inheritance practices.

✅Reduces family disputes: Clearer legal rights can help provide a framework for resolving inheritance disagreements.

✅Promotes dignity and fairness: A woman’s gender should not determine whether she can benefit from property belonging to her family.

Full details later…

Comrade Paul Ikechukwu Njoku is a human rights activist, author and political strategist to Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji.