The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will continue to encourage gender equality in the Nigerian political space.
INEC Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, made this commitment at the “review of the 2019 general election from a gender perspective’’ held on Thursday in Abuja, including the INEC Desk Officers from the 36 states and the FCT in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES).
Osaze-Uzzi said that such action was important in order to address the poor participation of women in elections and the drop in the number of women who occupy elective positions.
He said that at the level of political parties, legislature and governance, the representation of women in Nigeria government fell short of the National Gender Policy benchmark of 35 per cent and other global and regional benchmarks to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He said that INEC would continue to collaborate with development partners and stakeholders to encourage and sensitise political parties to open up to changes in party politics.
The changes he said would enhance women’s participation in the electoral process as equal partners. Osaze-Uzzi said that the implementation of the INEC Gender policy (IGP) since 2014 had continuously impacted positively and enhanced the gender responsiveness of Nigeria’s electoral process.
The director said that the commission had indeed recorded some progress in increasing and enhancing all-inclusive participation and representation of women in the electoral process.
He added that this is through its sensitisation programme at the local, state and national levels.
Source: Vanguard