The voting process was carried out after the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Betty Apiafi raised a motion, urging employers of labour and political parties to give women equal opportunities to allow them achieve their true potentials.

Though none of the male senators expressed their dissatisfaction with the motion, they however kicked against it after a voice vote was carried out.

The ‘nays’ were louder and appeared the majority, suggesting majority of the male-dominated Senate rejected the gender equality proposal. The voice vote which was adopted by the senate also made it difficult to identify the senators who opposed the gender equality proposal.

However in spite of the ‘nays’ being the loudest, the Senate resolved to ensure that gender equality is a priority in the next constitutional amendment.