Women dialogue identifies factors impeding participation in politics

Participants at a one-day postmortem dialogue on assessing violence against women and women’s participation in the 2023 general elections on Wednesday have identified the patriarchal nature of Nigerian society and political parties as major factors impeding women’s participation in politics.

The dialogue, organized by the Women’s Situation Room Nigeria (WSRN), Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Nigeria, and Women Environment and Youth Development Initiative

(WOYODEV) had Kwara state female lawmakers, civil society organizations (CSO), network groups, and women groups in attendance.

Some other factors identified by the people include a low level of education among Nigerian women, war, conflict and violence, discrimination and inequality against women, and traditional, religious, and cultural dictates, which make women submissive to men, among others.

Speaking with journalists at the programme, the project officer for Women Situation Room Nigeria (WSRN), Utibe-Abasi Bassey-Duke, said that the organization saw the need to assess and improve on 2023 women’s participation in politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Having observed the last general elections in 11 states of the federation, we thought it necessary to go back to the drawing board, and assess some things to move forward ahead of the 2027 elections. One of these is the level of violence against women and women’s participation during and post elections of the 2023 elections.

“We’re also identifying new trends that impede women’s political participation and drawing a road map ahead of the 2027 elections. One of these is the patriarchal nature of our society and political parties. Women were being denied participation in this process. So, we look at advocating for passage of independent candidature bill to enable independent people come out and vie for political positions”.

The project officer, who said there was a need to start and intensify advocacy early before the 2027 general elections on the identified areas of attention, added that “we need to establish our voices in government.”

“We need proper implementation on the 35 percent affirmative action that has already been passed in order to see competent, credible women that can bring positive change in government”, she said.

Also speaking, a member representing the Ilorin North/West state constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Babatunde Ayi Olatundun, said that the 2023 general elections and beyond have a better ray of hope in stock for the female gender.

The lawmaker, who said that available statistics showed that women folk were not well represented as expected in the last general elections, attributed the development to fear of the unknown, “, particularly violence and gender discrimination”.

“I want to use this medium to encourage my fellow women to put their fears aside and come out to participate in politics which has become a level playing ground for everyone. Moreover, worthy of mentioning is the 35% affirmative action and the Political Gender Composition Bill passed into Law by the state government, which protects our womenfolk”.

The lawmaker, on behalf of the five female lawmakers elected into the Kwara State House of Assembly, commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq “for blazing the trail of women

in governance which four other female colleagues and I have used as a platform to be here today as representatives of our respective constituencies”.

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