Constance Meju
To halt the declining state of women’s representation in Politics, a She Persists Coalition has been inaugurated in the South-South by Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, a foremost women’s organization in the country.
The event, a strategic workshop on Women’s Participation in Politics and Leadership in the South-South, which was held on 26 September 2024 in Asaba; Delta State, drew participants from former and current political office holders, aspiring young females, civil society and media practitioners from the six South-South states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Delta and Rivers States. There was, “From Margins to Mainstream: Improving Women’s Political Participation in Nigeria.”
The Executive Director of Baobab, Yeye Bunmi Dipo-Salami stated that the declining presence of women in political leadership in the country especially, in elective positions is a growing concern that demands a change of approach if success is to be achieved.
She noted that Nigerian women have consistently been involved in the electoral process both as contestants and voters but with very marginal results, making the creation of platform partnerships among women imperative
Said she: “Women have been on the war front in different ways and times with fewer results with the media and non-governmental organizations supporting female politicians to slug it out.
“It is critical to create platform partnerships -networks and coalitions that are essential for sustained progress. This is a call to action.”
The Baobab executive director said the program was organized to conduct a thorough analysis of the real challenges before women in the Nigerian political sphere, find out what needs to change, identify opportunities, and proffer solutions on how to improve women’s representation in political leadership in the country.
According to her, part of the objectives of the parley was also to develop an action plan to drive advocacy efforts that promote political participation and leadership and gather evidence-based strategies and recommendations for the action plan.
While sharing their experience in the political leadership arena, female politicians who have faced the hurdles of electoral contests decried the continuous obstacles posed by the poor economic power of women, the lack of internal democracy in political parties, the failure of the umpire, the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to enforce the implementation of the gender policy which every party has developed as well as electoral violence.
They acknowledged the fact that some minor successes have been achieved but stressed that more changes need to take place for more women to come on board.
To move Nigeria from its current near-bottom position in the Africa Women in Parliament index with less than 6 percent representation, the women called for a democratization of political parties, while advising every woman seeking an elective position to first have a thorough understanding of her party’s electoral process.
Women eyeing political leadership positions were also advised to. Identify their strengths before stepping out, to create visibility through community engagements and actively participate in party affairs.
The need for women to begin their political plans early was also stressed.in addition to identifying critical electoral stakeholders.
In addition, it was agreed that women should be deliberate in coaching and encouraging other women on effective media engagement to enhance visibility and identity promising young ones to mentor for continuity.
Key special guest speaker at the event, Dr Pat Ogbewe who is the coordinator of Delta Cares, in her presentation captioned, urged women to fight systemic inequality by being confident, assertive, ambition-driven, and working hard enough to stand out and be visible.
She said the Nigerian government has a male face, so women need to begin to place less emphasis on culture and learn to cooperate and support one another to get into leadership.
Former female speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Elizabeth Ativie who described the meeting as timely and the transgenerational composition as commendable, advised women to stay in popular political parties and only move when necessary and when they have become popular.
She advised elective position seekers to be prudent and only collect financial support that is necessary as well as ensure they respect gatekeepers in their parties.
Another strong politician from Edo State, Dr Nosa Ikpomoseyi Aladeselu, who has been on the scene since 1975 commended the blend of old, new, and in-coming politicians at the parley and urged the younger politicians to strive to do better. She noted that there are subtle changes as major political decisions are no longer being taken only at night.
She advised women to try and make the necessary difference through their deeds and the accompanying visibility.
Another speaker, activist, and former commissioner now a member of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Bridget Anyafulu advised women politicians to be dignified and diplomatic.
She noted that men represented the head, the head cannot function without the neck so, women should explore deeper, their strength as mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters as well as their voting power to change the current political narrative on Nigerian women’s politics.
According to Hon Anyafulu, “At any critical period, when men want peace, they go to women. We are continually building the nation without nurturing. She added that when women decide, they can get into political decision-making and counseled, “Protect your space, groom girls. Your body is your right, protect it. Have a fall-back”,
The resource person, Dr Emem Okon used graphs to highlight the glaring unequal Status of Nigerian women in political leadership positions. The charts showed that of the available 988 state assembly seats in the country, only 48 are occupied by women while only nine women are deputy governors against 28 males even as no woman is a governor. And in the Senate, only six women sit with 103 men and 16 women in the 774-seat House of Representatives.
Dr Emem said the unequal presence drowns the voices of women representatives and keeps the issues on women away from the front burner when policies are being planned
She later inaugurated the South-South, She Persists Coalition which will drive the action plan developed to improve the performance of women in electoral contests and enhance their presence in public decision-making.
