Delta State Commission for Women Law

DELTA STATE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN LAW

1. Citation and commencement This Law may be cited as the Delta State Commission for Women Law, 1992 and shall be deemed to have come into force on the 2nd day ofJanuary, 1992.

2. Interpretation In this Law- "Auditor-general" means the State Auditor-General; "centre" includes Ward or Village or Urban Integrated Women Development centre; "Commission" means Delta State Commission for Women; "committee" includes Local Government Ward and Village Women's Development Advisory Committees; "Governor" means the Executive Governor of the State; "member" includes the Chairperson and other members; "unit" means Local Government Women Development Unit.

3. Establishment and composition of the Commission (1) There is hereby established a body to be known as the Delta State Commission for Women. (2) The Commission shall consist of the following members - (a) part-time chairperson who shall have sufficient interest in the advancement of women; (b) five other persons, who shall include representatives of - (i) market women; (ii) Professional Women Organisation; (iii) Humanitarian Women Organisation; (iv) men folk (v) banking and Chamber of Commerce; (c) Six ex officio members who shall include representatives of the Ministries Of - (i) health; (ii) education; (iii) agriculture; (iv) commerce and industry; (y) justice; and (vi) social development, youths, sports and culture. (3) The spouse of the Executive Governor shall be the Patron of the Commission.

4. Functions of the Commission The functions of the Commission shall be to- (1) Promote the welfare of women in general; (2) Promote the full utilisation of women in the development of, human resources, and to bring about their acceptance as full participants in every sphere of national development, with equal rights and corresponding obligations; (3) Promote responsible motherhood and maternal health of women; (4) Stimulate actions to improve women, civic, political, cultural, social and economic education; (5) Stimulate actions to improve women, civic, political, cultural, social and economic education; (6) Encourage the sense and essence of co-operative societies and activities amongst women both in the urban and rural areas and also stimulate in them creative entrepreneurship in the field of cottage industries and small scale industries; and (7) Formulate and propagate moral values within the family units add in the public and to establish programmes with institutions and organisations to inculcate moral education in women and children.

5. Powers of the Commission For the purposes of achieving the functions set out in section 4 of this Law, the Commission shall have powers to - (1) Formulate policies and programmes within the context of State development plans aimed at enhancing the position and development of women in the social, economic and political context; (2) Establish bodies in the State and Local Government Areas for the implementation of the policies and programmes of the Commission; (3) Promote, develop and concretise income generation and employment through loan schemes, home and cottage industries, acquisition of skills generally for the improvement of arts and crafts and food processing and such other vocational training of women within the context of their assumed needs and potentials; (4) Monitor and liaise with appropriate Government Ministries, Departments, non- governmental bodies, including United Nations’ Agencies on matters concerning women and development; (5) Monitor and submit reports on - (i) women education and counselling; (ii) health of women and children; and (iii) existing legislation. (6) Ensure self-reliance and enhancement of women; (7) Co-ordinate, structure and monitor the activities of women voluntary organisations and grant aid to them and evaluate their performance; (8) Generally, conduct research and planning aimed at improving the status of women and the attainment of policy objectives generally in relation to women; and (9) Do such other things as the Commission may from time to time deem necessary for carrying out any of its functions stipulated in section 4 of this Law.

6. Tenure of Office (1) The Chairperson of the Commission shall hold office for a term of three years and shall be eligible for re-appointment for a further term of three years. (2) Subject to the provisions of this Law, a member of the Commission other than an ex officio member, shall hold office for a term of four years from the date of his appointment and shall be eligible for re appointment for a further term of four years. (3) The office of a member of the Commission other than an ex officio member shall become vacant if - (a) he resigns his office by notice in writing under his hand addressed to the Governor; or (b) the Governor is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the Commission or of the public for the person appointed to continue in office. (4) Where a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Commission, it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term for which his predecessor was appointed provided however that the successor shall represent the same interest and shall be appointed by the Governor.

7. Executive Secretary and other officers of the Commission (1) There shall be appointed for the Commission an Executive Secretary equivalent in rank to a Director-General, whose appointment shall not be political to ensure continuity in the operations of the Commission. (2) The Executive Secretary shall be the head of the Secretariat of the Commission and shall be responsible, for the day to day administration of the Commission and for putting into effect the decisions, policies and approved recommendations. (3) The Commission may, from time to time, appoint such other staff as it may deem necessary to assist the Commission in the performance of its functions under this Law. (4) The staff of the Commission, appointed under subsection (3) of this section shall be appointed upon such terms and conditions of service as the Commission may after consultation with the State Civil Service Commission determine.

8. Proceedings of the Commission (1) The Commission shall have power to regulate its proceedings and may make standing, orders for such purposes and subject to any such standing orders and to subsection (2) of this section may function notwithstanding - (a) any vacancy in its membership; or (b) any defect in the appointment of a member; or (c) that a person not entitled to do so took part in its proceedings. (2) The quorum at any meeting of the Commission shall be six including the Chairperson.

9. Appointment of Committees (1) Subject to its standing orders, the Commission may appoint such number of standing and ad hoc committees as it may think fit to consider and report on any matter with which the Commission is charged with responsibility under this Law. (2) The decision of any committee appointed under this section shall be of no effect until it is confirmed by the Commission.

10. Establishment of Local Government Women Development Unit (1) There shall be established a Local Government Women Development Unit by each Local Government Council. (2) Each Unit shall consist of the following members - (a) a Principal Women Development Officer on Grade Level - 12, who shall be the head of the Unit; (b) A Senior Planning Officer (Programmes Planning, Monitoring, Research and Statistics) on Grade Level 10; (c) a Senior Community Development Officer (Co-ordination of Better Life Programme) on Grade Level 10; and (d) such number of other officers as may be necessary depending on the workload of the Unit.

11. Function of Unit Each Unit shall perform such functions as are similar to the functions of the Commission at State Government Level.

12. Establishment and composition of Local Government Advisory Committee (1) There shall be established an advisory body to the Local Government Women Development Unit to be known as the Local Government Advisory Committee. (2) The Committee shall consist of the following members - (a) the spouse of the Chairman of the Local Government Council as the Chairperson; (b) the spouses of State Legislators from that Local Government Area; and (c) three other members to be appointed by the Chairman of the Local Government Council. (3) In appointing the three other members the Chairman shall ensure that the members represent the cross-section of the Local Government Area.

13. Functions of Committee The functions of the Committee shall be- (a) to advise the Development Unit on Programmes and Policies; and (b) to facilitate the work of the Development Unit.

14. Establishment of Local Government Ward and Village Women Development Centres (1) There shall be established in each Local Government' Ward and Village, a centre to be known as the Women Development Centre. (2) Each Village or Ward Centre shall be located in one of the' following, that is to Say- (a) an existing Women Education Centre; (b) an existing Women Co-operative Centre; and (c) a community-owned Hall or Health Centre.

15. Functions of Centres Each Centre shall provide the following services- (a) adult literacy; (b) maternal and child welfare and nutrition training; (c) population education and family planning; (d) skills and income-generating activity; (e) agricultural services; (f) environmental sanitation and protection; (g) civic, political and legal literacy; and (h) training of female Village Community Workers.

16. Establishment of Ward or Village Advisory Committee (1) There shall be established an advisory body to each Ward or Village Centre to be known as the Ward or Village Advisory Committee. (2) The Committee shall consist of spouses of Councillors and representatives of Women Organisations in the locality of each Village or Ward.

17. Funds of Commission (1) The Commission shall establish and maintain a fund from which shall be defrayed all expenditure incurred by the Commission. (2) There shall be pajd or credited to the fund established in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section - (a) such money as may be granted in each year to the Commission by the State; and (b) all other monies accruing to the Commission from any other source approved by the Government and which shall be reported and accounted for. (3) The Executive Secretary shall, not less than the 31st day of October each year, prepare an estimate of the, income and expenditure of the Commission for the next succeeding year and submit same to the Governor. (4) The accounts of the Commission shall be audited by the Auditor-General.

18. Annual Report The Commission shall prepare and submit to the Governor not later than 30th April in each year, a report on the activities of the Commission during the immediate preceding, year and shall include in the report the audited accounts of the Commission, and the Auditor- General’s report.