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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Displeased with the low level of women’s political participation, BAOBA for Women’s Human Rights, African Young Women Advisers Initiative, and Equality Now, have called on the Federal Government to domesticate the Maputo Protocol.
The Maputo Protocol had recommended equal political participation for both men and women.
Executive Director of BAOBA for Women’s Human Rights, Bunmi Dipo-Salami, stated this at the National Leadership and Advocacy Workshop for Women in Politics, yesterday in Abuja.
The theme of the event was: ‘Women’s Inclusion in Political Leadership: The Maputo Protocol to the Rescue.’
Dipo-Salami stressed that it was not enough for women to be engaged in clapping and dancing during political rallies without active political involvement when in elective positions.
According to her, the implementation of the Maputo Protocol would give women a sense of political belonging.
She cited the likes Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the late Professor Dora Akunyili and Mobolaji Osomo, who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours.
She admitted the failure of most women in certain given tasks, but argued that even men have faltered, which she said should not be used as a yardstick to relegate women to the background.
She said: “This event is about bringing women politicians across the country to understand what the issues are and look at the Maputo protocol and the legal framework that can support the inclusion of women in politics. We have patriarchy as a problem.
“We have people who are using religion, culture and monitisation of politics push back women especially those who are married. We have issues of political parties not listening to women or wanting women to be in political leadership positions.
“It is also about male politicians looking at power as a zero-sum game and not sharing. It is either you have it or you don’t. It is about not caring enough about Nigeria.
“Because if you care about Nigeria, you will know that when you bring women to the table then the conversations are richer, the economy grows faster and women can actually take up more responsibilities. They can multitask, they can manage resources and Nigeria will be a better place for us all.
“So, what we want is for the President and Nigeria to domesticate the Maputo Protocol. The Maputo Protocol is very explicit about women’s meaningful political participation.
“Because we have women in political leadership. So, it is not just about women clapping and dancing at rallies. It is not about women turning out en mass to vote.
“It is about women being critical actors and stakeholders in the political circle. The 35 per cent affirmative action the Nigerian Government has ratified we need to start talking about it.
“Last year, we had 5 bills, we want those bills to be brought back because women are citizens. We are not second class citizens.
“So we want to be in spaces of power, leadership. We want to also, say that we are here. You cannot be impactful if you are not there.
“If you do not have the access, opportunity there is going to be no impact you can make. I can decide to make an impact within the civil society space, but if a woman decides to be a politician she deserves a seat on the table and not to be standing around doing not what.
“We have had women who held sensitive portfolio that are sensitive in this country and we know what they did and how they raised the bar.
“We can remember Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala raised the bar. We can remember how Dora Akunyili raised the bar. We can remember how Mobolaji Osomo raised the bar. We have a few women that were unable to perform just like we have many men that were unable to perform optimally.”
Also corroborating Dipo-Salami’s assertion, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Engagement (North Central), Abiodun Essien, demanded equal participation of both men and women.
Essien, who is also the President of African Young Women Advisers Initiative, lamented the high cost of nomination forms in the last elections which she claimed was skewed against women.
“You have 45 per cent of our population are majorly women but when it comes to leadership and governance you do not see enough women in decision-making platforms.
“The 10th Assembly has only 3 women plus Natasha Akpoti from Kogi State making it 4 out of 109. There is no equal percentage.
“It takes a man who understands the issue if men and what they have gone sam with women, to really decide on women’s inclusion.
“Talking about financial responsibility, you know how much they were selling the forms at the last elections was such huge.
“You do not expect women to get the money. Patriarchy system within the political parties effects women’s political participation.
“We are asking for partnership and women should be brought to the table at the same level men are brought to the table,” she said.
