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Womens Participation andWomens Participation and

Performance in NigeriaPerformance in Nigeria

Politics: Challenges andPolitics: Challenges and

SolutionsSolutionsBy

Irabor, Faour !moyePresented on "ec# $%,&'$&

(onrad)*denauer)Stiftung


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IntroductionIntroduction +he marginaliation of Nigerian -omen in politics and

decision ma.ing is as old as the Nigerian society# It actuallypredates the adent of colonialism in Southern andNorthern Nigeria#

/arginaliation of -omen is reinforced by patriarchy,poerty, illiteracy, religious and cultural norms#

* less liberal democratic era -ith less organiedinstitutional and legal frame-or. at the national, regionaland international leels for female politicians to latch on toalso e0erbated the marginaliation of -omen in politics#

+he long years of military rule in Nigeria further -orsenedthe position of -omen in political participation#

It is -idely belieed that the marginaliation of -omen in

political participation and decision ma.ing processes hasbeen responsible for the e0clusion of the interests of-omen in goernance and deelopment paradigms#

1et, the deelopment of any country re2uires theparticipation of both men and -omen# 3erein lies thechallenge#


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/arginaliation of Women ) */arginaliation of Women ) *

4niersal Phenomenon4niersal Phenomenon

It must ho-eer, be noted thatmarginaliation of -omen is not

peculiar to Nigeria# /ostadanced democracies todayonce e0perienced marginalisation

of -omen in political participationand decision ma.ing as can begleaned from the ne0t slide#


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+able !ne: "emocratiation of su5rage in Selected Countries+able !ne: "emocratiation of su5rage in Selected Countries

Country /ale 4niersal Su5rageFemale 4niersal Su5rage *ustralia $6'% $6'7 Canada $6$89$7 $6&' France $769;$ $6


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+he 3istory of the Nigerian+he 3istory of the Nigerian

Situation E +he Colonial Dra#Situation E +he Colonial Dra#+he constitutional history of

Nigeria sho-s that this e0clusion

dates bac. to the colonial times

-hen -omen -ere not allo-ed toote# +he ne0t slide says it all#


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+able +-o: "emocratiation Su5rage in NIgeria+able +-o: "emocratiation Su5rage in NIgeria

YEAR CONSTITUTION SUFFRAGE

$6$< *malgamation None

$6&& Cli5ord *dult /ales -ith annual

income of N$''

$6


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*s can be gleaned from the slide-hile men started oting in Nigeriain $6&&, -omen in all parts of thecountry started oting in $6;6, adi5erence of fty seen years#+hus in the rst republic although

there -ere prominent female

politicians in the northern part ofthe country li.e @ate 3aHia =amboSa-aba they could not ote or beoted for#


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+he Performance of Women+he Performance of Women

in the First epublicin the First epublic

+he rst republic $6')$6J -as dominated bymen#

+he rst republic produced Hust $ female senatorfrom the Western region in the person of @ate ChiefWuraola Dsan, the Iyalode of Ibadan#

In $6$, @ate Chief /rs#J /argaret D.po contestedelections into *ba 4rban North constituency underthe National Council of Nigerian Citiens NCNCJplatform and -on, thus, becoming a member of theDastern Nigeria 3ouse of *ssembly until $6#

/rs# >anet N# /o.elu and /iss# D.po *# 1oung alsocontested elections, -on and became members ofthe Dastern 3ouse of *ssembly#

*s earlier noted during this period -omen inNorthern Nigeria -ere still denied the opportunity toote and be oted for#


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in the Second epublicin the Second epublic

+he second republic $6;6)$67%J, Hust li.e therst republic produced only $ female senatorin the person of @ate Franca *fegbu-a#

* fe- Nigerian -omen -on elections into the3ouse of epresentaties at the nationalleel# Some of these -omen -ere /rs# ># C#De of the Nigerian Peoples Party NPPJ -horepresented 4o 4-ani constituency informer *nambra StateK /rs# L#4# NnaHi, also of

the NPP -ho represented Isu Constituency inImo State and /rs# *biola Babatope of the4nity Party of Nigeria 4PNJ -ho represented/ushin Central II of @agos State#


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in the +hird epublicin the +hird epublic In the $66' elections into local goernments heralding the

third republic, ery fe- -omen emerged as councilors andonly one -oman, Chief /rs#J +itilayo *Hana.u, emerged asChairperson of *beo.uta @ocal =oernment Council in!gun State#

"uring the gubernatorial elections, no female =oernoremerged in any of the states# !nly t-o female "eputy=oernors emerged, namely *lhaHa Sinatu !Hi.utu of @agosState and /rs# Cecilia D.penyong of Cross ier State#

In the Senatorial election held in $66&, /rs# (ofo Buc.nor)*.erele -as the only -oman -ho -on a seat in the Senate#+his follo-ed the pattern of the $stand &ndrepublics#

Lery fe- -omen -on election into the 3ouse ofepresentaties# !ne of them -as Chief /rs#J FlorenceIta)=i-a -ho -on the senatorial election in the CalabarConstituency, Cross ier State under the banner of theNational epublican Conention NCJ


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+he Impact of CD"*W, the+he Impact of CD"*W, the

*4 Protocol and BeiHing*4 Protocol and BeiHing

ConferenceConference +he Conention on Dlimination of *ll Forms of

"iscrimination *gainst Women CD"*WJ -as adopted bythe 4N on "ecember $7, $6;6# Nigeria ratied it on >une $%,$678#

*rt ; of CD"*W re2uires Nigeria to Mta.e all appropriatemeasures to eliminate discrimination against -omen in thepolitical and public life of the countryO

*rt 6 $JaJ of the *4 Protocol states that States shall ta.especic positie action to promote participatie goernanceand the e2ual participation of -omen in the political life oftheir countries through enabling national legislation andother measures to ensure that -omen participate -ithoutdiscrimination in all elections#

+his is in consonance -ith *rt# < of CD"*W -hich deals -ith+emporary Special /easures to accelerate e2uality bet-eenmen and -omen# It is also in consonance -ith *rticle & $$Jof the *frican Charter on "emocracy, Dlections and=oernance -hich states the obHectie of the Charter isamongst others to promote gender balance and e2uality inthe goernance and deelopment process#


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+he Critical *reas of Concern+he Critical *reas of Concern

of BP@*of BP@*

+he World Conference on Women +heBeiHing ConferenceJ in $668 articulated $&critical areas of concern considered as mainobstacles to -omens adancement in the

BeiHing Platform of *ction BPF*J# +he BPF* is not a set of la-s, but a set of

principles and strategies for action# Itproides not only guidelines for actions onthe part of goernments, N=!s, and

members of ciil society, aiming to-ardseliminating these barriers to achieinggender e2uality -orld-ide, but its apo-erful statement of the recognition of-omens une2ual status globally#


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+he Critical *rea of Concern on Political+he Critical *rea of Concern on Political

Participation and "ecision /a.ingParticipation and "ecision /a.ing

!ne critical area of concern specicallyre2uires states to ensure -omens fullparticipation in po-er structures anddecision ma.ing: deelopment,education, and training to increase-omens capacity to participate indecision ma.ing and K leadership, andaim at gender balance in goernmentbodies and the composition ofdelegations to the 4N#

+his has dened standards of -omenparticipation in politics and other nationalengagements#


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+he Post BeiHing Dra#+he Post BeiHing Dra#

Politically focused -omen non)goernmental organiations N=!sJ haebeen engaged in arious capacity buildings.ills for female aspirants and

encouraging oters to ote for -omenthrough arious oter educationprogrammes#

+his is reinforced by the proisions of theNigerian Constitution and the Dlectoral

*ct# +he Dlectoral *ct -hich forbidsindependent candidacy marginalies-omen -hich is strengthened byfeminisation of poerty#


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+he Nigerian Constitution+he Nigerian Constitution

since $6;6#since $6;6# S#


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=ender *udit of =eneral=ender *udit of =eneral

Dlections in Nigeria sinceDlections in Nigeria since

$666#$666#"espite the sensitiationprogrammes of N=!s and

deelopment partners, the

percentage of -omen occupyingelectie and appointie positionshas not been ery cheering#


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+able +hree: +he Standing of Nigerian Women in+able +hree: +he Standing of Nigerian Women in

Political Participation and Performance from $666Political Participation and Performance from $666

till "ate#till "ate#

Source: @ance)!nyei-u, /aureen &'$$J, D0cept from 4N Womens Preliminary *nalysis of the esults of th=eneralDlections in Nigeria

S)N

#o!ition No

o*

Av%i$

%b$e

Se%t

!

No o*

Women

in +

No o*

Women

in -../

No o*

Women

in -..0

No o*

Women

in -.++

$ Presidency & ' ' ' '& Senate $'6 % < 7 ;

% 3ouse ofeps

%' $& &% & &

< =oernorship % ' ' ' '8 "eputy

=oernorship

% $ & %

% States

3ouses of

*ssembly

66' $& %7 8< &

Tot%$ +1/

/

-2 30 4 2


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+able Four:+able Four: Current Re(re!ent%tion o* 5enCurrent Re(re!ent%tion o* 5en%nd Women in E$e"tive #o!ition! 6-.++7%nd Women in E$e"tive #o!ition! 6-.++7

Source: @ance)!nyei-u /, &'$$J, D0cerpts from 4N Womens Preliminary*nalysis of the esults of the &'$$ =eneral Dlections in Nigeria

men 8omen tot%$

President $ ' $

Lice

President $ ' $

Senate $'& ; $'6

3ouse of

eps %%< & %'

=oernor % ' %

"eputy

=oernor %% % %

3ouses of

*ss 6&7 & 66'

+4/1 2 +1//

6%#';%$ #%6&6

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