<\/p>\n
By Emmanuel Oloniruha<\/p>\n
Abuja<\/p>\n
The United Nations Women (UN Women) and the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development (MBNCWD) have urged Nigerian political parties to adopt and implement gender-responsive policies to increase women\u2019s political participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.<\/p>\n
They made the call in Abuja on Wednesday at a stakeholder engagement on \u201cStrengthening Women\u2019s Participation Ahead of 2027\u201d, organised by the Gender and Inclusivity Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).<\/p>\n
The UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Beatrice Eyong, represented by Ms Susan Agada, described political parties as primary gateways to leadership and decision-making.<\/p>\n
Eyong said increasing women\u2019s political participation was not merely a human rights issue but essential to building responsive and resilient democratic institutions.<\/p>\n
She expressed concern that despite constituting nearly half of Nigeria\u2019s population and contributing significantly to peacebuilding and economic growth, women remained underrepresented in elective and appointive positions.<\/p>\n
She identified structural barriers, discriminatory social norms, limited campaign financing, electoral violence, and unequal party structures as major obstacles to women\u2019s participation in politics.<\/p>\n
To address the challenges, Eyong called for renewed commitment and concrete action from all stakeholders, particularly political parties.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe encourage parties to adopt and implement gender-responsive policies that promote women\u2019s leadership, ensure transparent and inclusive nomination processes, create safe political spaces free from violence and intimidation, and invest in the development of female aspirants and leaders.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvidence from around the world consistently demonstrates that when women participate equally in politics, democratic institutions become stronger, governance outcomes improve, and societies are better equipped to address the needs of all citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cWomen\u2019s leadership brings valuable perspectives, strengthens accountability and contributes to more inclusive decision-making,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Eyong commended INEC for fostering dialogue on issues critical to democratic governance, inclusive development and sustainable peace.<\/p>\n
She reiterated UN Women\u2019s commitment to working with INEC, political parties and civil society organisations through policy support, capacity building and advocacy.<\/p>\n
Also speaking, the Director-General of MBNCWD, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, urged political party leaders to take urgent and deliberate steps to ensure that female aspirants who emerge as candidates for the 2027 elections receive full party support.<\/p>\n
Benjamins-Laniyi, represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs Ijeoma Duru, advocated dedicated campaign funds and logistics for female candidates to address financial disparities.<\/p>\n
She also called for equal media visibility and prominent roles for women during national and grassroots campaign activities.<\/p>\n
The director-general further stressed the need for robust security and internal reporting mechanisms to protect female candidates from campaign violence, intimidation and online harassment.<\/p>\n
Delivering the keynote address, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, a former INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, said Nigeria lagged behind many African countries in female political representation.<\/p>\n
The keynote was titled: \u201cStrengthening Women\u2019s Political Participation and Representation: Opportunities, Challenges and Strategies for Political Parties Towards the 2027 General Elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
Osaze-Uzzi, also a former Edo Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said women occupied only about four per cent of seats in the National Assembly and noted that no woman had ever been elected governor or president in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
He compared Nigeria\u2019s situation with that of Rwanda, where female parliamentary representation increased from less than five per cent in 1994 to nearly 64 per cent.<\/p>\n
He added that 41 of 54 African countries operated some form of gender quota system, citing progress in Senegal, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and Cape Verde.<\/p>\n
Osaze-Uzzi identified legal, cultural, financial and security challenges as major barriers to women\u2019s political participation in Nigeria.<\/p>\n
He recommended stronger legal frameworks, enforcement of party mechanisms, dedicated campaign funding, mentorship programmes and a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and violence against female candidates.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvidence shows how much can be achieved even through voluntary quotas where there is strong commitment and political will,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
However, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr Yusuf Dantalle, rejected claims that political parties were not doing enough to support women.<\/p>\n
Dantalle said parties had actively fielded and supported female candidates, including in regions where women\u2019s representation had previously been low.<\/p>\n
He cited the nomination of female senatorial candidates in states such as Katsina, as well as Hadiza Zainab, the Deputy Governorship candidate in Taraba, who also serves as Deputy National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and IPAC Deputy Chairman.<\/p>\n
Dantalle said political parties had provided affirmative action by waiving nomination fees for women and offering financial support despite operating with limited resources.<\/p>\n
To address structural challenges, the IPAC chairman reiterated the call for constitutional reforms to restore public funding for political parties, saying this would enhance support for women and other marginalised groups.<\/p>\n
He urged women to actively seize political opportunities and negotiate commitments with political leaders before casting their votes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOpportunities are not given; they are seized. You have to make yourselves available.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnter into contracts with those seeking to represent you at all levels. Embark on community campaigns and ask candidates what they have for women,\u201d Dantalle said. (NAN)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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