Foundation Organises Dialogue On Women’s Representation

Nigeria’s push for gender-inclusive politics took  a sharp tone on Friday as the TOS Foundation convened a public dialogue on the Women’s Reserved Seats Bill, a proposal advocates say is critical to correcting decades of underrepresentation.

Speaking at the event, advocacy lead of the TOS Foundation, Andikan Umoh, who represented the organisation’s executive director, Osasu Ogwuche, told participants that the dialogue titled; “Her Voice, Her Vote, Her Seat” was more than another policy forum. It was, she said, part of a wider movement aimed at reshaping the foundations of Nigeria’s democracy.

“Nigeria currently ranks among the lowest in global women’s political representation, with women holding less than five percent of elective offices,” she noted. Umoh added that the figure reflects not only gender imbalance but “a gap in democracy itself,” arguing that no nation can progress while half of its population remains largely absent from leadership.

Umoh explained that the Women’s Reserved Seats Bill, now before the National Assembly, seeks to create constitutionally guaranteed seats for women across federal and state legislatures.

“Legislation requires public awareness, coalition building, unified advocacy, and citizen engagement,” she said, urging young people, civil society actors and policymakers to sustain pressure on lawmakers.