Despite the rejection of gender bills, Nigerian women are working en masse to get support to secure more political seats.
Nigerian women are deploying strategies to penetrate the grassroots to garner their support ahead of the 2023 general elections, Ebere Ifendu, President Women in Politics Forum, Nigeria said.
Through awareness on the rejected gender bills by the National Assembly, she noted that women are educating local people on the impacts of the bills with their dialect.
Ms Ifendu disclosed this on Thursday at the launch of a three report series interrogating 20 years of democracy in Nigeria which was compiled by Centre for Democracy and Development.
Earlier in March, the National Assembly voted against five constitution bills that supported women on citizenship, 111 seats for women at the Federal parliament, 35% Affirmative Action for women in political party leadership and more appointive positions for women.
Thereafter, Nigerian women held a series of protests at the gates of the National Assembly for reconsideration of the bills.
The protests were suspended following a promise by the House of Representatives to look into the said bills.
Despite the rejection, Nigerian women are working en masse to get more support to secure more political seats.
“Looking at the failed (gender) bills, the National Assembly did something good for us. They didn’t know they were opening our eyes for women to begin to think as an entity. What we are looking at now is how we (will) work more with the network and begin to go to the grassroots.
“We were able to also talk about the (gender) bills in our local dialects. Last time, I was on a radio programme, we used Igbo to break down the five (gender) bills and we had people ask questions. They are understanding it better when they feel the impact of what is happening at the National Assembly”, Ms Ifendu said.
Additionally, she informed that Nigerian women across the 36 states formed groups to take letters to their respective state assemblies, traditional and religious leaders within their communities.
“So the grassroots people are beginning to feel the impact. We have used every skill that we can so that grassroots people can have an understanding and they are with us”, she said.
More solutions to help women
Fatoumata Tambajang, a former Vice President of Gambia at the event, proposed that political parties democratise activities such that they allow young people and women to be involved.
She further indicated the need for political leadership to be held accountable to make political declarations concerning the participation of women.
Ms Tambajang also stressed the need to mobilise men to champion women’s issues.
On her part, Sintiki Ugbe, Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs at Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) asked that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) publish the number of female voters after an election.
Launch
Giving the welcome address, Africa Director of MacArthur Foundation, Kole Shettima, on behalf of the Executive Director of CDD, Idayat Hassan, lamented the prolonged marginalisation of Nigerian women.
He said “any politics that disenfranchises 50% of the population cannot operate optimally”.
Mr Shettima added that the reports were produced to seek inclusion of more women in governance as countries led by women perform better.