Given the poor showing of women in the 2019 general elections there has been heightened call for increased inclusion of women in governance with the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari. ENE OSANG reports
Women representation in President Muhmmadu Buhari’s administration witnessed decline both in elective and appointive positions. It is therefore not surprising that the call for increased inclusion of women in governance has been heightened with the re-election of Buhari for a second term of four years.
In line with this development World Affirmative Action Awards (WAFAA), a gender-mainstreaming Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), ahead of hosting a conference in the United States of America, has restated the call for 35 per cent affirmative action for women in line with the Beijing declaration.
Country Director, WAFAA, Mrs. Angela Ikona, during its quarterly meeting in Abuja said Nigeria falls short on the 35 per cent affirmative action for women when compared to other African countries and the world at large like the Beijing Platform for Action and the Maputo Protocol to which the country is signatory.
Ikona also stressed the need for better opportunities for women to own businesses like other women around the world, noting that most women are still poor in the country.
“From available statistics, women constitute about 50 per cent of the Nigeria population and it is estimated that women-owned business represent about 30 per cent of registered businesses worldwide. Yet, only about 1 per cent of women entrepreneurs have access to businesses like owning oil blocks as the oil and gas industry is one very tough industry for women to thrive.
It is as a result of this that the NGO sought support of women in politics including lawmakers at the National Assembly recently; to further stress need for a push for more women representation at the hem of affairs in Nigeria.
According to National President of the organisation, Dr. Hephzibah Suobo, gender parity should be improved upon from the current level it is in the country to confirm Nigeria’s status as the giant of Africa.
Suobo noted that women have majorly being mobilised for political activities, while the interests of those who are not in politics are neglected.
”Most women concern is in the area of mobilising women for political activities but women are saying if there should be 35 per cent affirmative action it shouldn’t be just on political appointments or the electability of women but it should include economic participation because not all women are in public domain. Others want to thrive in the private domain, the economic sector especially in the area of oil and gas,” he said.
He added that to achieve the UN objective for women both men and women must mobilise to ensure that these objectives are carried out.
”Nigeria is 25th in the global gender ranking as against the background of some African countries that are already in the top ten like Rwanda, Denmark, Liberia etc. Nigeria is giant of Africa and should extend this to women too.
”We are pitching our tent in Washington DC this to meet with other Nigeria women to ensure Nigeria women has a global face and make them a new face of leadership to other African countries and the world at large,” he added.
Reacting to the call, Deputy Minority Whip at the Senate, Senator Biodun Christine Olujimi, expressed disappointment over the rejection of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill (GEO bill) when it was presented at the house, however she said women are not giving up on the struggle.
Olujimi noted that the major challenge with the struggle for gender equality in the country is the lack of support from men.
She further lamented the rejection of the demand for a reservation of quota for women in the political parties stating, ”If all parties in Nigeria gave women a particular quota say 20 per cent of electable positions to women thy can then contest the remaining 80 per cent which means at every election we should be able to get 20 or 25-30 per cent of women into positions across the political parties.
“The problem is that gender needs men’s support because we have done enough over the years but it’s not working out. In fact, we have decided that the position of women leaders should go to the men so that they can bring us together,” she said.
”The GEO bill has been with us for a very long time, when we were activists we tried but it didn’t work. The seventh Assembly brought up the GEO bill but it never saw the light of the day because the men are not sensitized enough to believe in the issues promoted by the bill however, we have a window for opportunity and we are hopeful that this works out.
”When I brought up the bill I assumed that I had spoken to everybody and that it would go through but on that day, nine people spoke with seven in favour of the bill but when it came to the voice votes the nays had it even when it was done twice. This shows that men don’t believe we need the powers we are asking for even though we are not asking for much,” she lamented.
Olujimi pointed out that what the women demand is to be involved in decision making since they are 50 per cent of the population, particularly to have a say in issues concerning them.
”We still want the inheritance clause taken out laws are not made just because one is not involved, if your belief supports that what about mine? Who now make laws for those who have no one to protect them?
”The world has come a long way and those women they marry at 14 some are right now unmarried because they no longer have the flair, she is no longer a minor, a juvenile and the innocence that brought him close to her is no longer there so we don’t want women to be used and dumped.”
Also responding, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Asabe Vilita Bashirn, lauded Nigerian women efforts on emancipation so far, while urging more women to heed the call for participation in public life.
”There has been a clarion call for women to come out of their shelves and participate actively in politics and every other area and we need more women to heed this call.”
The law maker said though numerous challenges abound for women in decision making position, she encouraged them to keep doing their best to enable more achievements.
Meanwhile the Special Assistant (S.A.), Women and Gender Affairs to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rose A. Uwadia-Jacobs, maintained that gender inequality has been on from time immemorial.
The SA, however, assured that gender equality is achievable in Nigeria, but tasked women on better understanding of the concept.
“A lot of women just follow the train but they need to understand and want it themselves. The achievement we are talking about is not trying to be a man the equality we are talking about is the expression of potential which is a human right.
“I remember in the book of Numbers 21 there are daughters who were not given inheritance and they demanded for it, so this gender inequality has been there from time immemorial and here we are today contending with culture and religion but we are not where we used to be and by God’s grace we have achieved more in the next 10 years to come.
“Culture and tradition comes in but like some cultures are done away with, certain constraints will be done away with time. Those who are affected would need to take the lead, every woman must nurture their children equally because that’s the paradigm shift we are looking for,” she explained.
She urged Nigerians to stop seeing the gender equality struggle as a western thing, as this will make it a lot more difficult to be passed into law. The bill has passed second reading and is at the committee level, I strongly believe that with time it would be passed into law.
“If we keep seeing gender equality as a western thing it would face a lot of resistance gender equal opportunity is calling for both men and women to be given opportunity to express their potential and capabilities,” she said.
