5 barriers women with political ambitions face in Nigeria
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, campaign strategies by various political office holders are already in full gear.
An online statistics put the number of the female population in Nigeria at approximately 94.2 million persons.
Today, more women serve as members of their countries’ legislative bodies at the local, regional and state levels in more developed countries.
In Namibia, women account for 44% of local government official. In Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, women make up more than 36% of the legislators at the National level, and are making a difference in creating public policy beneficial to women.
Nigeria needs to have just as many women, or more, participating in politics in order to support policies that affect women across the country, such as gender-based violence and maternal mortality.
Here are some of the barriers women who have political ambitions face in Nigeria:
Sexism and physical threats:
Sexism and physical threats are scaring Nigerian women away from politics.
According to Nnenna Ijeoma Elendu Ukeje, a former Representative for Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State, sexism and physical threats are scaring women away from Nigerian politics.
“Nigerian women risk being sidelined in elections, and this call for greater training and support in a country where about only one in 20 lawmakers are female” Ukeje said
Also, the violent nature of politics has made sure more women stay away from politics.
Political party factor:
Many Nigerian women are calling for a balanced party structure which will help ensure female political aspirants enjoy a political process devoid of bias, and increase their chances of emerging party candidates.
Gender inequality, discrimination:
According to Aishatu Jibril Dukku, member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing the Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency of Gombe State, “gender inequality and discrimination is a major obstacle” in Nigerian politics.
“Being a woman is a disqualification, especially in the area where I come from,” she said.
“As a contestant, I had to work twice as hard to convince my people that I can do it.”
In a traditional Nigerian society, politics is believed to be the duty of the man. Men are seen as more capable of wielding political power.
Sadly, many men in Nigeria still believe the woman’s place is at home and not in the public space.
This prompted a lawmaker representing the Kazaure constituency of Jigawa State, Hon. Gudaji Muhammed Kazaure, to speak against women having equal opportunities as men in political matters in the country.
Religion:
The fundamental religious belief tacitly ingrained in most religious doctrines, forms the bedrock for the marginalisation of Nigerian women in politics.
Furthermore, religious interpretations of certain portions of Holy Books fuel popular narratives regarding women’s submission to men.
