Ninety per cent of women awaiting trial in prisons across the country are either nursing mothers or nursing mothers and pregnant.

The percentage is derived from the National Human Rights Commission’s recent prison audit in the country.

Its Executive Secretary, Prof. Bem Angwe, made this know when he received, National President, National Council of Women Societies,NCWS, Gloria Shoda, in his office in Abuja, saying the commission needed the collaboration of the NCWS to provide an immediate intervention in this regard.

Angwe said the commission was particularly concerned because there was no amount of compensation that would be given to such a child or even the mother that would be commiserate with hardship endured.

The executive secretary also said in spite of several campaigns both internationally and nationally to end discrimination against women, it still existed in form of cultural practices.

He also said some parents were still preventing their female children from going to school, saying that this was unacceptable.

Angwe advised the executive of the NCWS not to allow politicians to use the association to score cheap political points, saying the society which comprises of over eighty million women should not be used for political purposes.

Earlier, Shoda said they were at the commission in light of an MOU the association signed with the commission on the protection of the rights of women, youths and children in June.

She said the visit was specifically to evolve the best ways to execute the MOU, particularly with regards to issues of gender-based violence and the Child Rights Act.

The NCWS president gave the assurance that the association would work with the commission to promote the rights of women, youths and children, particularly sensitisation campaigns.