News
Women in Politics: GSAI, SheForum Africa, Others Seek Women Inclusion Ahead Of 2027 General Elections
In Abuja, a non governmental organization known as Gender Strategy Advancement Initiative(GSIA) and the SheForum Africa had on Wednesday 24th April held a national discuss on women inclusion in the forthcoming 2027 general polls.
Nation Post confirmed that the conversation was in view of securing more political positions for women. The occasion was themed “The Godmother’s mentorship series”.
However, the gathering was also focused at guiding and mentoring young female Nigerians. The encouraged women and young girls to stand up for their rights in the realisation of gender equality as part of the article of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In a statement by Ms Inimfon Etuk, founder, SheForum Africa, she says “there is no point waiting until 2027 before the female folks could start galvanizing themselves for the realisation of gender equality in the country political arena”
“Our organisation has come to the understanding that no group can do it alone in building Nigeria to the desire of many”.
“SheForum Africa is all about leveraging on strength of members, other individuals and organisations to move things forward in the country, as we do not only dwells on gender equality but other things”
“No one person, no one organisation can do it alone; we all know there are a lot of target right now globally, there is the United Nations 2030 target for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
“Part of the SDG goals is gender equality, there is also goal which talk about partnership, our target in Nigeria is surrounded by the achievement of democratic dispensation by 2027.
Sen. Biodun Olujimi who advocated for a backup of the legislation for the realisation of gender equality in Nigeria, stated that that is the only way to go to achieve such aim.
“Sierra Leone was able to back such idea with legislation before it could have 50/50 equal gender representation in its parliament.”
Olujimi explained that Senegal as having 42/58 per cent inclusivity of both gender in its parliament, adding that there was need to form a forum to encourage younger people to fill the political space in Nigeria.
Mrs Toyin Saraki,, founder, Well-being Foundation Africa stressed the need for knowledge transformation into young female Nigerians, adding that that was the reason why some of them were invited to the programme.
“We are invited here basically to this roundtable to begin to talk about knowledge transformation, especially in the different generational ways some of us have move and become experts to meet with the younger exploit.
“We are putting together modalities by which we expose them, to also spring up and learn from each other, so that by the time the next election take place in Nigeria, we would have exposed more people who wish to take up leadership position.
“We must understand investment in the education of our children, it is one of the process of development of a child, we must begin to grow children in the right way before they grow to become adult,” she stressed.
Dr Adaora Sydney-Jack, Executive Director, Gender Strategy Advocacy International and Co initiator of the Godmothers’ Mentorship Series stated that Godmother Mentorship Series is all about raising and Bridging the gap for leadership especially for young women in Nigeria.
She said having participated in the 2019 elections herself and seeing the challenges women face during election, it was important to for women to be deliberate about first building synergies across generational lines to look at active partnerships through active mentorship and shared aspirations.
She also spoke about the importance of documentation and story telling on women’s trajectories in elections and leadership so that the right stories and the right narratives are repositioned and reimagined for not just the next generation of girls but also for Africa.
She said Nigeria needs to become the agency that shapes the conversation for women positively starting from the community level where development largely depends on women as curators of sustainable development.
Sydney-Jack who is the of host of Africa’s number one Policy literacy program for women Gender Agenda programme on Africa Independent Television (AIT) stated that there was need to change the narrative and have more women in political positions in Nigeria especially in parliament.
She also called the 10th assembly to decisively look at the thoroughness of the 5 gender bills as the inroad towards having more women in political positions and in addition a legislation that emboldens and embraces a population key to national development .
Ene Obi, Former Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria said the time is now for Nigeria to shun the issue of Godfatherism in politics and allow more women to participate in it
She said that, Godmothers’ mentorship series is an intergenerational mentorship initiative aimed at nurturing more women into leadership position in the country.
According to her, not enough women are in the leadership position in the country, and that this is so abysmal for a country like Nigeria known as giant of Africa which suppose to served as example to others in terms of politics.
This maiden edition is the first of its kind since the 2023 Elections and emphasizes the importance of strategic engagements towards bridging the gap for women’s participation in politics and in leadership.
