- Women in Parliament and Women Affairs were urged to liaise with the Ministry of Women Affairs and other relevant agencies
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives called on the Federal Government to allocate sufficient budgetary resources for the training and development of women in politics.
This resolution followed the adoption of a motion introduced by Mrs. Blessing Amadi, the lawmaker representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency in Rivers State.
The House subsequently urged the Ministry of Women Affairs to designate a department “with adequate budgetary provision to help groom, train, and support women in politics and encourage the inclusion of the role of women in political leadership in our secondary school curriculum.”
The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the plenary, also mandated the House Committees on Women in Parliament and Women Affairs to liaise with the Ministry of Women Affairs and other relevant agencies to, as a matter of public importance, “constantly organise training and seminars for women interested in running for political offices, especially women in rural areas, with the understanding that politics starts from the grassroots.”
Amadi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, while addressing plenary, lamented what she called the under-representation of women in politics, noting that the development cuts across the national and sub-national levels.
She said, “Women are holding less than eight per cent of seats in both National and state Assemblies. We are aware that societal factors such as cultural or religious norms, marriage, indigeneship etc., impede women’s participation and representation in politics.
“The full and equitable participation of women in public life is essential to building and sustaining strong and vibrant democracies.”
The lawmaker added that despite the giant strides recorded by women over the years, “they remain significantly underrepresented in political and leadership positions globally and Nigeria in particular.”
“In Nigeria, women don’t have equal opportunities and support to serve as political leaders and elected representatives, which is vital to Nigeria’s democracy. To bring about any change in this disparity, it will require proactive measures to equip women with leadership skills, resources, and support needed to navigate the political landscape and effectively participate in decision-making processes,” she said.