The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has advocated for institutional and regulatory frameworks that would ensure more inclusive and effective participation of women in governance.
Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, Director-General of NILDS, stated this on Wednesday during a two-day capacity building workshop for female legislators/politicians and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Abuja.
The event was organized by NILDS in collaboration with UN Women and had the theme “Lobbying and Law-making in Nigeria.”
Sulaiman stated that prior to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country, there had been a decline in political participation, growing voter apathy, and the prevalence of traditional challenges such as undemocratic party nomination processes.
“According to a report by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), 2, 970 women were on the ballot in the 2019 general elections, accounting for only 11.36 percent of nominated candidates.”
“As the Commonwealth has noted, women continue to be underrepresented in political decision-making processes influencing pandemic management,” he said.
According to Sulaiman, the situation was not only unacceptable, but also ultimately untenable.
He stated that it was critical to create institutional and regulatory frameworks that would ensure more inclusive and effective participation, particularly as post-COVID-19 structures were put in place.
The director-general went on to say that there was a need to use legislation and other policy measures to address Nigeria’s long-standing gender inequalities.
Ms Comfort Lamptey, UN Women Country Representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, stated that achieving gender equality and protecting women’s rights was critical for Nigeria to meet its deepest aspirations in the Decade of Action as it attempted to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.
Lamptey, represented by Mr Desmond Osemhenjie, stated that UN Women is committed to assisting Nigeria in this regard.
Also speaking, Felicia Bassey, Deputy Speaker of the Akwa-Ibom State House of Assembly, stated that the number of female legislators in the country is insignificant.
“We are few in number; if one has a bill for the benefit of women and children, the men will not give us what we want.”
“We’re here to learn about lobbying and legislation because you have to know what you’re putting on the table to get your bill passed,” she explained.
Bassey, who is also the Chairperson of Nigeria’s Female Legislators (Houses of Assembly), has advocated for more political opportunities for women to contribute their fair share to nation building.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila declared the workshop open and pledged his unwavering support.
Gbajabiamila, who was represented by Deputy Whip House of Representatives Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, stated that he would always use his position to advance the cause of women.