INEC Urges Women To Take Active Roles In Politics

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun, has called on women to participate more in politics, so they can take leadership roles.

Mrs Abosede Ibikunle, Osun INEC Gender Officer, made this call while speaking at a sensitisation seminar organised for “Muslim Women in Puda” on Thursday in Osogbo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seminar with the theme, “Democratic Participation and Women in Puda Issues and Panacea”, was organised by civil society group, Community Building and Development Initiative, in conjunction with Yusroh Women Empowerment Centre.

According to Ibikunle, INEC is particular about women’s participation in politics and that is why it was organising seminars and sensitisation for women to be actively involved in the election process.

She said the commission in 2014 established the gender desk office in all the states of the federation to give special attention to women and encourage women to register to vote in elections.

She said it had become a trend that the highest political post women hold in political parties is the position of “women leader” stating that women should change the status quo, by supporting themselves, so they can hold higher positions.

She listed cultural and religious beliefs and lack of funds as major factors discouraging women from running for political offices but stated that political parties should encourage women participation by allocating specific posts for women, while government should also carry out special sensitisation for women on politics.

The coordinator of Yusroh Women Empowerment Centre, Mrs Raji Rofiat, in her own speech, stated that the number of women participating in politics was not proportionate to 50 per cent of the nation’s population, which they represent.

Rofiat said though Nigeria recognised women in the political sphere and included them in both appointive and elective positions, it was still far from the minimum international standards of representation of women.

She said poor participation of women in Nigerian democratic process continued to persist because challenges they were facing especially women in ‘puda’, as they had to bear additional discrimination because of their faith.

She said she hoped the seminar and sensitisation would open up new opportunities to further engage women in the political structure of the country, as they march forward in the democratisation process. (NAN)