In commemoration of the 2024 International Women’s Day, IWD, stakeholders in government and the private sectors have charged women to be intentional in their quest for inclusion in leadership positions.
The call was made at the Care Nigeria high-level dialogue forum with the topic “Prospects of Women Participation in Leadership Roles in Decision Making Platforms Nigeria” held in Abuja, Nigeria.
Representing the Country Director, of Care Nigeria, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Mrs. Mariama Saidou said Care Nigeria is continuously driven to inspire inclusion
“Working for and towards equal justice, supporting women and girls into decision and leadership platform, investing in infrastructure that the women and girls are taken care of, working along with women and girls to aspire them to make an informed decision about their future and their health…Involving and removing the barriers for women and girls in sustainable agriculture and food security, addressing further areas supporting the advancement of women and girls”, she said.
During the panel discussion, the President of the Women in Politics Forum, Barr. Ebere Ifendu said the problem with women in leadership positions in Nigeria is the lack of recognition.
“Lack of inclusion is a big problem. In the past we called them heroes, they were able to hold the government accountable. Today we look back and celebrate the women who started the Aba riot. Some call it a riot, some call it rebellion, but whatever name … they decided to say no and liberate themselves because they were being over-passed. The problem with our generation from the generation below us is that we are also not very resilient, we don’t fight for our rights”, she said.
Ifendu urged women to come out en masse and lend their voices to the call for the advancement of women through inclusive institutionalised legislation.
Also, Deputy Head of Programming Catholic Relief Services, CRS, Mr. Oros Adia urged women to overcome the fear of making mistakes in positions of leadership.
He said “Women need a safe space to express themselves and if we were to create that environment the woman will thrive in that environment. So I say one of the things is for women to identify themselves, be proud of themselves and always try to make the move.”
The women-led Civil Society represented by Maryam Ajeyayi urged women to break off the stereotypes of culture and societal norms holding women back from leadership positions.
Ajeyayi said women making up about half the population of Nigeria need to have the much-needed adequate representation at all levels.
She called on women to rise and seize the moment because it would not be given to them ala carte.
The Speaker of the Voice of the Girls Parliament, 15-year-old Precious Sam said if women felt safe there would be more participation in leadership positions. She called for the provision of safety nets that would inspire the younger generation she represents to delve into leadership and aspire to be better mothers, and wives while balancing the responsibilities of Leadership.
CARE Nigeria and its partners through partnerships, collaborations and initiatives push to ensure that the needs, interests and aspirations of women and girls are valued and included through advocacy for and working towards Women’s Economic Justice, supporting women and girls into leadership and decision-making platforms, investing in infrastructure that they cater to the needs of women and girl, support to enable them informed decisions about their health, involving and removing the barriers for women and girls in sustainable agriculture and food security and investing in Women’s Political Leadership in Nigeria amongst others.
Approximately 50% of Nigeria’s population are women, yet they are gravely under-represented in government and other key decision-making institutions. Since independence in 1960; only one woman has ever occupied any of the top four (4) positions in Nigeria’s governance; no woman has ever been elected governor in any of the 36 states.
Women represent just above 10% of the 15,000 candidates who contested the recently concluded 2023 elections for the president, Governorship, and National and State Houses of Assembly.
Globally, Nigeria is ranked among the lowest ten women representation in national parliament by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Women’s representation in Nigeria’s national assembly is worsening with each passing election. There were 29, 21, and 18 women in the 8th, 9th, and 10th Assemblies of Nigeria’s National Legislature, which comprise a total of 469 seats (109 Senate and 360 House of Representatives seats). This stands to be one of the lowest representation rates globally.
This shows that with each passing election, the number of women who partake in the nation’s decision-making keeps declining. Worse is the recently concluded elections, where only 4 Women out of 109 elected candidates occupy the Senatorial Seats.
This raises concerns about how will women-responsive decisions be made.
The National Gender Policy (NGP) 2006, which was formulated in Nigeria recommends 35 percent affirmative action for women, in tandem with this policy, 35% of all governance procedures should include women but it is yet to be implemented in principle since the necessary institutions and procedures are not in place.
With the 9th Assembly throwing out the five gender bills that were presented for consideration and the 10th Assembly barely taking off, the call for the assignment of 35% of parliamentary seats and 35% of political party leadership to women is still on course.
If not reconsidered and assented to, it would present a bleak perspective for women’s inclusion at all levels of leadership in the country.
International Women’s Day instituted in March 1911 is celebrated annually to drum up advocacy for gender equality, and inclusion and you amplify voices on matters concerning women globally.
The 2024 theme is #inspireInclusion Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.
The theme recognises that achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is crucial now more than for prosperous economies and a healthy planet.
Dominica Nwabufo
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