Prioritising gender parity in Nigeria aims to unlock the full potential of the female population that would lead to improved economic growth, better social outcomes that are vital components of a sustainable future; however, significant challenges remain due to deep-rooted patriarchal norms and limited opportunities for women in various spheres of life as ADEOLA AKINBOBOLA reports.
Nigeria is currently facing a significant gender gap challenge in areas like political representation, workforce participation and access to education, with the womenfolk often under-represented in decision-making positions.
According to a Systematic Review on Gender Parity in Governance and National Cohesion for Sustainable Development in Nigeria, women are confronted with many cultural denials, discriminations and segregation in today’s society; for instance, they frequently find themselves in low-status, low-paying positions with few or no possibilities for growth and limited access to credit, according to Gender Gap Report for 2016.
Gender equality and rights however have made significant improvements in recent years with comparable levels, opportunities and enrolment ratios of girls in the country.
Despite these gains, the reality is that it remains unequal in terms of basic gender rights, resources, economic opportunities and political appointments.
Citing an example is Mrs Lois Auta, a 44- years-old polio survivor and also an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities who was nominated by her party to run for the House of Representatives from Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari Ward, (Federal Capital Territory) in Nigeria but lost the election due to multiple challenges.
While narrating her ordeal in an exclusive interview with Blueprint, she explained that she joined politics in 2017 because she wanted to create space for women, persons with disabilities mostly to inspire them, but could not aspire beyond due to limitations.
Challenges and barriers
Lois who is also the president of Network of Women with Disabilities said she got almost 4,000 votes during the election but was faced with the multiple challenges as language barrier, infrastructural barrier, inadequate funding to women vying for elective positions and the general mindset about women in the society.
According to her, “I am trying my best to change the stereotype by amplifying the voices of women particularly Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs),” she said.
She noted further that the other main challenge is inaccessibility to meeting venues because, in her words, ” I am a wheelchair user. Some villages are harder to reach for me because sometimes you have to cross rivers. I also face challenges in funding while most male candidates have sponsors.”
Discriminations
In 2019, Auta ran for the Federal Capital Territory’s AMAC (Abuja Municipal Area Council)/Bwari National Assembly seat; in 2022 she vied for the Kaduna State House of Assembly seat to represent Kaura Constituency under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) but lost at the primary to a male candidate by the name Nehemiah Sunday. According to her, she faced discrimination as a physically challenged female politician.
Again, in her words, “Women vying for elective position are still going through attitudinal barriers in the society. I could recall in one of my interviews during a live radio programme with other male candidates. A male voice called during the programme and said that he had hope for other men campaigning and I should go back to my house and face my family instead of campaigning.
“Another caller said women without disabilities have not won election and that is it me who is on a wheelchair that will win? You can imagine the perception about women in this our society of today,” she lamented.
Importance of gender inclusion in leadership
The fact that the female gender is naturally imbued with such salient and sterling qualities as industry, meticulousness, peace loving, economy, risk management, perseverance, leadership skills, organisational skills, human and material management skills, to mention but a few, cannot be overemphasised.
Over the years, women have been entrusted with the leading role of managing human and material resources and have more often than not proved the same point that, given adequate backing and free hand, they can exceed normal expectations.
Exceptional women who contributed to national development
A catalogue of Nigerian women who have contributed to national development include Fidelia Njezie (former minister of aviation) who only in a short while in office exploited her ingenuity to resuscitate the aviation sector from its erstwhile collapsed state.
Others included Hajia Ruqayya A. Ruffai, former minister of education who gave education a new dimension; Farida Waziri, then boss of Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) up until 2011 who brought sanity to the body polity of the nation by exposing some corrupt leaders to justice.
Also, Dora Akunyili, a former director general of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who made sure that the proliferation of illicit and expired drugs was curtailed, thereby saving lives and health of innocent citizens.
Also worthy of mention is the current director general of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former minister of finance during President Obasanjo’s regime who helped to turn around the debt regime of Nigeria by negotiating the cancellation of debt which Nigeria owed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Paris Club. Since 2007, her counterpart, Obiageli Ezekwesili popularly known as Oby who popularised the Due Process Office in the Presidency during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime and a couple of other female giants.
Call to action
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target goal 5 (5.1) states the need to end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
The call to action therefore encourages the society to support women’s participation in politics through advocacy, mentorship and electoral reforms.
According to Lois, women particularly women with disabilities have suffered from under-representation and inclusion in the society.
Strategies ahead of 2027 general elections
On her call to action, she called on women to be more strategic ahead of the 2027 general elections especially on the need to start very early; for according to her, women should be active in the political parties they belong to. She harped on the need for funding to support women running for any elective office.
According to her, the number of women in elective positions is drastically reducing; therefore they need to be educated to come out for run for elective offices.
“We need to change the mindset of women particularly at the grassroot level. Women need to come out and partner with relevant bodies such as traditional rulers, religious leaders, influential people in order to give them the support and voices they need.
“Also, women should work with the National Assembly to create a space for them especially now that they are reviewing the constitution. We should be given the opportunity to run in some constituencies,” she said.