The United Nations organisation on Tuesday raised concern over the low participation and representation of women as candidates in the 2023 elections, describing it as unacceptable.
The organisation also described Nigeria as one of the lowest countries in women representation across the globe.
The UN Programme Specialist, Desmond Osemehenjie, stated these during a workshop on the promotion of women in politics organised by a civil rights organisation, Centre for Democracy Development.
At the event, the Acting Director (Gender Inclusivity Department) in the Independent National Electoral Commission, Dorothy Bello, represented by the Deputy Director (Civil Society Division), Ndidi Okafor, blamed the low representation of women in politics on the failure of the political parties to obey their constitutions.
She challenged them to always obey their rules to give women their rightful place and deepen democracy.
While describing women’s participation in politics in Nigeria as very appalling, unsatisfactory and unacceptable, Osemehenjie compared the scenario in Nigeria with other African countries.
He said, “If you look at the African sub-region, Nigeria is one of the lowest countries as far as representation on the parliament is concerned. Nigeria is just 4.1 per cent in the parliament, as we speak, while in other countries like Rwanda, it is 67 per cent.
“Senegal is sending about 57 per cent. These are all countries with a very high level representation of women in parliament. But for Nigeria, it is something that is very unacceptable.”
Osemehenjie identified the patriarchy system in Africa, where societal beliefs and religion had taken over.
On the way forward, Osemehenjie said the UN had been doing a lot of advocacy and awareness creation and capacity building for women.
He said, “We support the media. We also support the political parties, building the capacity of women, and ensuring that women are able to compete effectively.
We have also, in one way or the other, provided a kind of both internal and external training to women, where they go outside to learn from other nations where they have been able to advance.
“We make representation that will also support them. We are training the young women known as a Young Women Academy, where, if in future, we want the young women that are interested in governance, to be able to jump into political parties and be able to change the narrative.
“We are also doing an advocacy and have met with the traditional rulers, the religious leaders, the media organizations to sensitize and mobilize all stakeholders and telling them the importance and benefits of women to be part of governance.”
On her part, Okafor said, “The political parties are allowed to implement their own constitution or manifestos, but the commission is also doing a lot in terms of advocacy, reminding them to keep to the rules they gave to themselves.
“It’s not by force. It’s about a group of people who have come together to give themselves rules and guidelines. And the commission is, therefore, saying, ‘you need to implement that which you have given to yourself’. Tat’s what it is. It is not that there is a failure.”
Speaking on the expectations from INEC in the 2023 elections, she said, “We want to see an election that is free and fair. We want to see a nation that everyone is allowed to participate.
“At the end of the day, we want to see a lesson that will bring the right persons to governance. Indeed, this falls into what the commission is doing.
“INEC has a gender policy, which is to drive it for inclusion of not just women, but marginalized groups like people with disabilities and ensure those with albinism participate in the electoral process and that they stand to vote and they be voted for.
“The commission is doing the implementation through advocacy, through persuasion, that’s why you will find that the commission is regularly meeting with political parties, in pressing it on their leadership to ensure internal party democracy and to ensure the inclusion of women.
“The commission is always reminding them that women are not just to clap hands. You know, that they also can make contributions. Therefore, the political space, both at the executive level of the political parties should be expanded so that you have more women holding executive positions in the political parties.
“There’s nothing wrong if a woman emerges as the national chair of any political party. There’s nothing wrong with it, gone are the time women love Madam status.”
At the end of the event, the participants at the workshop agreed that if women were to get the right representation in politics, political parties had a role to play.
Share your story or advertise with us: Whatsapp: +2347068606071 Email: info@newspotng.com
