Communique for 2020 WIMBIZ Women in Politics (WIMPol) Webinar

Tuesday, July 21, 2020 / 09:40 AM
/WIMBIZ /Header Image Credit: WIMBIZ

Communique Issued by Women in Management
Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) Advocating for the Increased Representation
of Women in Elective and Appointive Positions in the Political Sphere at the
End of the Annual Women in Politics (WIMPOL) Webinar Held on Thursday, July 9,
2020.

Women
in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ) held its Annual Women in
Politics (WIMPol) Webinar, on Thursday, July 9, 2020 themed “The
Nigerian Constitution and Elections: A Right to Win”, with over 300
participants in attendance.

The
Women in Politics (WIMPol) aims at increasing the representation of women in
public office through Influence and Advocacy, with the objective of growing
female representation from 4% to 30%, in line with the 1995 Beijing Declaration
and Platform for Action.

The
session, which was hosted virtually, explored conversations around mitigating
the paucity of women in the Nigerian political sphere, the current provisions
of the Nigerian Constitution on gender diversity in politics, the electoral act
and the urgent need for increased representation of women in elective & appointive
positions of power.

The
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has entrenched laws and
guidelines on female participation in politics. However, implementing these
laws & guidelines have been met with persistent resistance over the years.

Outlined Below
are Critical Observations Stifling the Participation of Women in the Nigerian Political
Sphere.

There is a perception
created by an unspoken bias against women, that politics is better suited to
men.
Certain cultural
practices and norms unintentionally create prejudices against female leadership
and this creates the reality of the electoral value chain being inclined
towards men.
Electoral
violence, funding & unfavorable institutional structures stifle the participation
and chances of women winning elections in Nigeria.
Specific
constitutional amendments need to be implemented to ensure political equality
between men and women. Similarly, specific constitutional laws on female
participation within political parties which already exist, have not been
enforced.
Creating
rewards & penalties for compliance or non-compliance with the documented
inclusion targets by political parties is critical to achieving the objective
of getting more women into the political sphere.
Intentionally
introducing gender inclusion targets across all tiers of Government will be a
significant step in progressing the goal of increased female participation in
politics.
Education,
exposure and a firm understanding of fundamental human rights are tools of
advocacy that can dismantle the stereotypes that promotes gender inequality.

Affirmative Actions
to Increase Female Participation in the Political Sphere.

The Nigerian constitution currently has no reference
to quota or mention on gender parity unlike constitutions like Kenya where it
specifically states in Article 27 (8) “that no more than two-thirds of the
members of elective or appointive bodies are of the same gender”.

Additionally, Article 81 of the Kenyan Constitution further
reiterates that the same rule should be applied to public institutions. This
shows a deliberate attempt by the law of the country to close the gender gap
and historical exclusion of women from leadership in politics. The following
proposed recommendations reflects intentionality and will go a long way in
mitigating the paucity of women in politics in Nigeria.

A law that mandates
gender inclusion targets across all tiers of Government and all spheres of
political representation should be developed and passed.
Seats should be
reserved for women in the Senate and House of Representatives.
The current presidential
system of government should be reviewed and a parliamentary system of
governance considered for adoption.
Education and a
basic understanding of fundamental human rights should be prioritized for women
in underserved communities.
An electoral
offence(s) commission should be created and empowered to bring perpetrators of
electoral violence specifically against women, people who misappropriate funds
and use the institution of state to manipulate processes to fuel their personal
interests.

WIMBIZ
is a non-profit organization that has, over the last 18 years, implemented
programs that inspire, empower, and advocate for more excellent representation
of women in leadership positions in the public and private sector. WIMBIZ has a
contributory associate pool of over 750 accomplished women in management,
business, and public service and over 9,700 women in its database. Since its
inception, we collaborate with credible domestic and international
organizations to deliver programs that have influenced more than 107,465 women.

The
Women in Politics (WIMPol) Webinar was chaired by Kemi Ogunyemi, CEO, Alfo
Healthcare Initiative and moderated by Hon. Nnena Ukeje, Member, House of
Representatives (2007-2019); with panelists – Sen. Binta M. Garba, Senator, Adamawa
North Senatorial District (2015-2019); Ahmed Raji SAN, Founder/Principal, Ahmed
Raji & Co.; Prof. Ayo Atsenuwa, Dean and Professor of Law, University of
Lagos and Clement Nwankwo, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy
Centre.