The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), an NGO has urged the Federal Government not to stop pregnant women and nursing mothers from participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The HURIWA National Coordinator, Mr Emmanuel Onwubiko, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja that stopping them from taking part in the programme would be discriminatory.
He said the action would deny them the opportunity of benefiting from the objectives of the scheme.
According to Onwubiko, the move could jeopardise harmony in some families as wives who were due for service could deny their husbands intimate relationship for fear of being stopped from national service.
He said the move also contravened Section 42 (1) of 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Onwubiko said the Constitution was clear that “government policy cannot be couched and implemented to primarily discriminate against any group of citizens under any guise.”
Also speaking, Mr Patrick Odey, an activist told NAN that it would not be proper to deny women the right ton national service on account of pregnancy or nursing babies.
He said the move negates the aim of NYSC, which included encouraging relationship among Nigerian youths.
(NAN)