The issue of gender inequality in governance and public service

Gender inequality is influenced by different cultures and beliefs, a lot of which women are considered subordinate to their male counterparts, especially in Africa, it is generally believed that women are best suited as home keepers. This general mentality and stereotypical way of thinking has also affected and greatly diminished opportunities for women to run for public offices and win.

In some countries in the world, women are still not allowed to vote, not to talk of the contest for public offices and positions of governance. Countries like Pakistan, Qatar, Oman and other Patriarchal countries where strict rules about the way women and men can interact mean women in Pakistan can be barred from voting by their husbands and village elders. Those who do vote risk the chances of being harassed or insulted, sometimes facing violence at the polls.

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Even up till this day in Nigeria there are fewer legislative barriers to voting than there are societal. The patriarchal society means many women feel their vote does not count, especially with only 6 percent of representatives in the Senate and 6 percent of house of reps members being women and no female governor in all 36 states of the federation, in fact, the first and last time a woman was governor, (first female governor in Africa) was in 2006 when Dame Virginia Ngozi Etiaba was instated as the previous governor, after Peter Obi, was impeached by the state legislature for alleged gross misconduct.

She transferred her powers back to Obi three months later when an appeal court nullified the impeachment. With all these said and the belief that women should be confined and restricted to the home; women’s rights are very much considered an afterthought In Nigeriadespite it being Africa’s biggest democracy.

Even as the struggle continues for a gender-equal society, the effect and effort of women groups around the world and women fighting for gender equality cannot be pushed aside, slowly but surely Feminism has become a world movement of women liberation. More women around the world are fighting for their rights to vote, contest, and hold positions of power, today we have more female presidents and head of states.

In Nigeria, women’s political and public Governance skills are being gradually recognized, as we have a few female ministers, deputy Governors, house or reps, senate and house of assembly members as opposed to how it was a “men’s only club” in the past. This last 2019 election proves how far feminism and female empowerment by different local and international bodies have come, more young women registered, contested and won compared to the other elections.

Women should be allowed as many rights as men have in contesting for public offices because they have as much capacity and more to govern or rule. The fight against gender equality continues, with a lot of persistence, female empowerment, public sensitization and education to people, women all over the world would reach their goal of a gender-equal society in all aspects of life not only politics.

Modinat writes from Babcock University.