Women in Parliament Decry Low  Female’s Participation in Politics

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Women in Parliament led by its committee chairperson, Hon. Taiwo Oluga, have decried the low participation of women in politics as well as interest for appointive positions.

At a briefing yesterday in conjunction with the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU SDGN), Oluga who led other female parliamentarians said despite the advocacy and attempt by women groups to increase women participation in politics, not much progress seems to have been made, while noting that out of 1,101 candidates contesting for 109 seats at the House of Representatives, only 92 women are contesting.

In the briefing themed “Women’s Political Participation and Inclusion and 2023 General Elections,” Oluga pointed out that patriarchy, stigmatisation, low level of education, meeting schedules, financing and lack of economical empowerment, political violence and cultural as well as religious barriers are the bottlenecks that have continued to hold women down.

Encouraging women to vote for women in the forthcoming general elections, Oluga advised women to shun and quit the “pull her down syndrome,” noting that women if elected into positions of leadership and authority, will curb tye menace of terrorism, insecurity and poverty.

She said that states such as Kano, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara have no single female candidate for the presidential and National Assembly elections come 2023.

She noted that the implication is that “even before next year’s elections, it is crystal clear that 13.5 percent of states will not have women in elective offices in their National Assemblies.

“The house committee on women in Parliament shall forthwith step up its activities with developmental partners, nongovernmental organisations, religious and traditional institutions on the need to encourage religious beliefs, cultural practices that discourage women political participation.

“Efforts shall be directed to increased synergy with NGOs and deployment of social media to accelerate advocacy and funding for women economic and political causes.

“We encourage women electorates to vote for women enmasse in the forthcoming elections because when are more humane and feel the pulse of their children the most. Women and children being the worst hit by terrorism, insecurity and poverty, are in a better position in proffering enduring solutions to the societal scrouges.”

She added that the house committee on women in parliament and other groups shall not relent in efforts to improve women participation in governance and the advocates of increased women participation believe that with sustained advocacy and economic empowerment of women, Nigeria could achieve the 35per cent affirmative action in the subsequent elections despite the seeming exclusion of women today.