Thread by @BudgITng

Gender equality in governance & politics remains a challenge in Nigeria!

7 of 44 ministers in the FEC are females while the NNPC board has just 2 women

Female seats in @nassnigeria remains low at 5.8%

Meanwhile, a Bill on “women’s quotas” was dismissed by @HouseNGR in 2019

To fully understand the extent to which gender inequality is deeply ingrained within Nigeria's political space, we need to examine the historical trajectory of female participation in politics.

#EvenItUp

The lack of inclusion in politics had already been rooted by the time universal adult suffrage was enacted for women in Eastern and Western regions of Nigeria in 1954 & 1959, and for women in Northern Nigeria in 1976

#EvenItUp

ONLY three women won seats in the 450-member house of reps and none in the 95-seat senate.

This trend of women's low participation and elective representation continued to the 3rd republic, and currently defines the 4th republic.

#EvenItUp

In 1975, the CDC produced the 1979 constitution which remains Nigeria's foundational legal document

#EvenItUp

So far, the executive arm of government has failed to comply with the National Gender Policy which seeks 35% affirmative action in favour of women to bridge the gender gap in political representation at all levels by 2015

#EvenItUp

Similarly, as at 2015, only 4.4% of Heads of Local Govt councils were women

While female councillors formed only 9.8%

#EvenItUp

Nigeria is yet to attain the critical mass of 30% female representation in public decision making,

Meanwhile, women form 49.5% of Nigeria's 200million estimated population

#EvenItUp

In our recent article titled ''Participation of Women in Politics - The Nigerian Context'', written by Tayo Agunbiade and published by @thecableng, we examined the current challenges and recommended effective solutions.

Read here: rb.gy/pfmkue