AHEAD of the 2019 general elections, a Non-Governmental Organization, Alliances For Africa (AfA) has called on the Senate to pass into law the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, saying the present political dispensation has the lowest representation of women in public office.
Briefing journalists on Monday in Enugu on the activities of the AfA, the Executive Director of the group, Ms Ihuoma Obibi, lamented tha the Nigerian parliament as presently constituted, women represent a dismal 5.6% in the House of Representatives and 6.5% in the Senate, stressing that it is far from the agitated 35%, Affirmative Action (AA) provided for, in the National Gender Policy (NGP) 2006.
Obibi noted that the Gender and Equality Opportunity Bill support equal participation and representation of women and men in all decision making processes.
“This trend flows from the national level, to state down to local levels where few women take the lead in local government chairman and councillors.
“We note that in other progressive democracies in Africa, in countries like Rwanda women make up 63.8% in the lower House of Assembly and 38.5% in the Senate. In South Africa women represent 41.9% and 35.2% respectively. In Burundi women represent 36.4% in the lower Assembly and 41.9% representation in the Senate. Even Zimbabwe has 31.5% and 37.5% respectively”
According to her, “Nigeria as a member of the United Nations signed and ratified various relevant international instruments, treaties and conventions without reservation. These instruments have always emphasized that member nations put in place all the necessary mechanisms needed to eliminate gender discriminations, ensure equality and human dignity to all, men and women.
She, however, noted, “In Nigeria, no woman has ever become a president or a vice president. The only first female governor in Nigeria, Dame Virgy Etiaba, only functioned as Anambra State’s governor for six months, following the impeachment on November 2, 2006.
“Ever since then, the closest a woman has come in governance is deputy governor. This is regardless of the fact that a National Gender Policy (NGP) has been formulated since 2006 to promote a 35 percent affirmative action for women – a policy that demands 35 percent involvement of women in all governance processes. The NGP is recognized but is not practiced as the structures and processes to use are not in place”
The AfA boss further noted, “In Rwanda 2003, the government approved a new constitution that included a quota system for women at all levels of government. The legislation mandated that 30 percent of all representatives, including those in parliament, be women. Rwanda’s quota is different than many other systems in that it’s not a quota solely on candidates, but rather reserves a minimum number of seats for women (often known as Equality of Result quotas).
She also said, “Only women are eligible to vote for the women-only seats. In election later that year, women increased their presence in the lower parliament from 23% to 49%. In 2013, women’s representatives rose even further to 64%.
“Rwanda is the first country in (Africa?) where women have moved beyond half of political leadership, as the country has prioritized women including structures and processes designed to advance them in all level of leadership”
“Mechanisms for reaching gender parity included a gender ministry with a substantial mandate; women’s councils elected at the grassroots and represented at the national level; a women-only ballot; a gender-progressive constitution shaped by women leaders in government and civil society; and, perhaps most importantly, a required quota of 30 percent women in all government decision-making bodies.
Recalling that in Senegal 2010, gender parity law came into force gender quota of 50/50 called the law of parity, she explained that the law obliged all political parties to nominate an equal amount of women and men on party lists and as constituency candidates.
“Parties are not allowed to run election if they fail to achieve gender parity on candidate lists. By 2012, it became very key and number of women increased from 22.7% to 42.7%”, she added..
On the activities of her organization, Obibi explained, “Alliances for Africa (AfA) with support from United Nations Women Funds For Gender Equality (FGE) is working on a project -The full implementation of 35% Affirmative Action (AA) in public governance in the five (5) South-east states”, and has recorded some successes with 3 elected female politicians as local government chairmen and member, state house of assembly, 11 female politicians appointed members occupying decision making positions in their respective states”
“We hereby use this medium to call on the Nigerian Government to emulate other African Countries that have successfully addressed the under representation of women in political leaderships to immediately promote gender equality in the political sphere and in decision-making processes at local and national levels in Nigeria”
They should also insist on political parties to bridge gender gap by mainstreaming gender in their internal party policies, adding that the authorities needed to take concrete actions to demonstrate government’s commitment to actualizing 35% Affirmative Action in all government institutions, structures and decision-making positions as well as demonstrate a clear road map of implementing and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) especially “goal 5” on Gender equality.