The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has reiterated its commitment to gender inclusive politics and governance in Nigeria.
In a bid to ensure gender inclusiveness in the political space, Nigerian women have demanded 50 per cent political appointments at the federal, state, and local levels across the country.
This assurance was given by the national chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, in Abuja, yesterday, at the “Conference For Women Political Leaders On Breaking Barriers and Shaping Positive Attitudes for Inclusive Politics In Nigeria,” organised by the National Institute For Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in collaboration with the IPAC Directorate Of Women Affairs.
Dantalle said IPAC stands for inclusivity in politics, noting that the umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria leads by example as it has established three D
directorates dedicated to Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities, ensuring that the voices of the underrepresented groups are heard and considered within the council.
He noted that the council under his leadership is the first to achieve three elected women in Council as provided by its Constitution, viz, the national publicity secretary, Mrs. Chinyere Oge-Kalu; national treasurer, Hon. Maryam Bagel; and deputy national secretary, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim.
He said IPAC had been working assiduously to ensure that women are duly represented in the national, state, local and ward executives of all political parties.
“In any democratic society, the active participation of women in politics is critical to achieving inclusivity, equality, equity and sustainable development. It is said that when you train a woman you train a nation. Women have inherent capacities and capabilities that make them indispensable. Female political leaders often demonstrate exceptional insights, savvy and managerial acumen that drive progress, development and advancement. Their active involvement in politics and governance cannot be overemphasized. Their voices must be heard loud and clear in the quest for a strong, vibrant, equitable, prosperous and decent democratic society.
“It is obvious that democracy is dependent on active participation and representation of all citizens in democratic institutions and processes. When a section of the society is underrepresented in policy discussions, they feel marginalized. This is the case with women who constitute about 50% of the nation’s population. We cannot advance our democracy if half of the population is excluded from the political sphere.
This injustice shall not stand.
“IPAC is with Nigerian women in breaking barriers that impede their participation in politics.
It is time to break these awkward barriers that have no place in modern societies driven by technology that allows citizens to maximize their potentials and contribute to nation building. Cultural barriers, stereotypes, poverty, lack of education, violence against women, etc., must be broken immediately.
“Women’s rights are fundamental human rights that were enshrined by the United Nations for everybody, and subscribed to by Nigeria as provided for in the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
“These rights include the right to live free from violence, slavery, discrimination, to be educated, to own property, to political participation, health, dignity and to earn fair and equal wage. It is unfair and unjust to deny women these basic rights because of their gender, particularly right to political participation and representation in decision-making processes,” he said.
He charged Nigerian women to rise up and take their rightful place in politics and governance, saying that it is time to break the glass ceilings, join political parties of their choice, contest various elective positions and prove their ability to lead, bearing in mind that power is not given, it is taken.
“If women do not participate in the electoral process, there is no way they can be elected President or Vice President, Governors or Deputy Governors, Senators, House of Representatives members, State legislators and Councils members,” he added.
Former minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, in her remarks, underscored women’s resilience to embrace grassroots politics to get 50 per cent political positions in the country.
Tallen highlighted that they are demanding 50 per cent and no longer 35 per cent appointment as 35 per cent is no longer tenable because other small African countries have done it, such as Namibia, Rwanda, and have even exceeded it, including Gambia and Senegal, amongst others.
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