Gender in niGeria report 2012 - Economic Commission for Africa

58 Gender in Nigeria Report 2012: Improving the Lives of Girls and Women in Nigeria
Women are under represented at all levels. National data on the representation in
women in other elected positions, such as school management committees, are not
easily available, but some studies suggest that women are relatively under represented
even at this level (ActionAid, 2011). Unless women start to be ‘visible and electable’
at local level, where it is relatively easier to build support, their representation in higher
political offices will be hard to achieve, even if political parties adopt and implement
a quota system. Enabling more women to stand for and win elections will make a
difference. But making all politicians more responsive to all their constituents would
also improve accountability. Currently just over half of all registered Nigerian voters are
women and politicians are said to be “wary about the numerical strength of women”
voters (Mahdi, 2011). Despite this, in a recent survey in Northern Nigeria, though all
respondents felt it was their duty to vote, many believed voting made no difference.
They reported little contact with their elected representatives after elections, and when
they did approach them “it was to seek a personal favour, not to realise their rights as
citizens” (Ladbury, 2011). This suggests that much civil society work is needed to help
women realise their potential power as constituents.
8.4 Some emerging observations
“All the policies made by men are arm chair policies for women. Women
representatives will make better decisions – only women can represent
women’s interests.”
“Women are less corrupt and more dedicated. There will be much
improvement.” 44
There is a lack of gender equity in political representation. Some progress has
been made but it is not nearly enough. To achieve the gender parity target of 35% set
out in the NGP, Nigeria needs to bridge a 20 percentage point gap.
The gains made since democratisation in 1999 have been reversed in some
areas. A rethink is required to regain the momentum. The literature suggests that a two
pronged approach should combine building the capacity of women candidates and
reform of the general political environment (violence, corruption, registration conditions).
Nigeria has signed up to most of the global compacts on gender equality,
but these commitments have not translated into action on the ground. There
appears to be some political commitment to gender parity but, without sustained and
organised lobbying, progress will be very slow, as the recent elections show.
Women are particularly under represented in Northern and rural regions.
These regional and sectoral variations suggest that different forces are in play in the
North that need to be understood before generic responses are rolled out. While there
is a tendency to blame religion for the situation in the North, this fails to recognise
the complex social, economic, geographical and historical factors that underpin the
enduring disadvantage faced by the Northern regions and Nigeria’s rural areas.
More ethnographic research is needed to understand how women currently
engage with and exercise power, in forums such as Market Associations and
political parties.
A relatively large proportion of women have registered to vote. Civil society
organisations should help women constituents to hold their elected representatives to
account.
44 Women respondents in North-West State, cited by Mahdi and Asubiaro-Dada (forthcoming).