Gender in niGeria report 2012 - Economic Commission for Africa

Gender in Nigeria Report 2012: Improving the Lives of Girls and Women in Nigeria 57
Much of the detailed work on the factors influencing women’s participation during the
Fourth Republic is found in work by Oladeye (2011), 41 Salihu (2011), Irabor (2011), 42
WRAPA (2004), and Ityavyar and Ityavyar (2002). Table 31 is a summary of the covariate
and idiosyncratic factors that influence women’s ability to successfully compete for
political office in Nigeria. It shows that a complex mix of personal and shared issues
combine to undermine the broader representation of women. Although there is a definite
need to understand the specific experiences of women who participated in the April
2011 election, general factors that affect the individual – like education, health, finance
and reproductive roles – are issues that could be dealt with if the political will existed
to use public policy to support women candidates (Salihu, 2011). Banning political
meetings at night and legislating against political violence, for example, might assist
women candidates to emerge, if these measures were effectively enforced. Issues
relating to the nature of political space could also be dealt with by gender-balanced
electoral reform. Oladoye (2011) argues that setting an agreed quota system within and
between the parties could be a useful starting point. Evidence from countries like South
Africa and Rwanda that have managed to increase women’s participation in politics
suggests that, until women candidates are nominated at party level to contest winnable
seats, talk of equity in gender representation will be slow and may not be achievable in
the short-term. 43
Table 31. Factors influencing women’s participation in politics.
Idiosyncratic factors Effects Covariate factors Effects
Low level of education
(especially in the
North); requirement
to have completed
secondary education.
Lack of capacity, in:
political and interpersonal
skills and
knowledge; public
speaking; organising
and coordinating
campaigns; advocacy
and negotiation.
Financial constraints: 43
Candidates lack
resources for
registration fees, to
establish campaign
structures, etc.
Up to 50% of
aspirants failed to
qualify for elections
to State assembly.
Ineffective
campaigns.
Ineffective
campaigns.
Cultural attitudes:
women need
husbands’ permission
to attend meetings
or be involved in any
activity outside the
home (in some cases
even to visit hospitals).
Political environment:
fear of intimidation,
physical assault
and name calling;
whisper campaigns
and innuendos about
moral standing.
Registration
regulations are
complex; candidates
are required to submit
tax declarations.
Candidates
sacrifice
their political
ambition to
avoid domestic
problems.
Withdrawal
of candidates
who put their
reputation before
a political career.
Many in the
North lack bank
accounts and fail
to qualify.
Reproductive roles:
women need to be
home in the evenings
and at night to feed
and care for their
children, etc.
Aspirants cannot
attend night and
evening meetings
and therefore
cannot be
considered.
Lack of a quota
system.
Women aspirants
fail to make party
lists; only those
who are active in
male patronage
networks are
successful.
41 At: http://www.cp-africa.com/2011/05/17/in-retrospect-2011-april-polls-and-gender-ranking-in-nigeria/#/news/.
42 At: http://www.baobabwomen.org/Review%20of%20Women’s%20Participation%20and%20Performance%20at%2 0the%202011%20
General%20Election%20in%20Nigeria.pdf.
43 The Federal Ministry for Women’s Affairs did offer some financial support to women candidates in the April 2011 elections.