Women leaders in Nigeria have urged political leaders to involve more women in their activities towards peaceful general elections.
The women made this known on Wednesday at a Women Leaders’ Platform for Peaceful Elections organised by the UN Women in conjunction with the Africa Union and Embassy of Germany in Abuja.
They said there have been increasingly visible cases of violence and disruptions of peace during campaigns season across different political parties and within various electioneering activities across the country.
They added that violence against women in elections is not just a personal violation of their civic rights, but constitutes a systematic barrier to free, fair and inclusive democracy.
The UN Women Representative to Nigeria, Ms Comfort Lamptey in her remark said, equality to participation by women and men in politics and opportunities for women’s leadership at all levels of decision making, have been globally acknowledged as vital contributors to more prosperous and stable societies in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
She said violence against women including during elections has a lot to answer for and remains one of the most serious obstacles to realisation of women’s political rights today.
She argued that it can virtually disenfranchise women elections, with effects on the society that multiply from the resulting democratic deficit.
The deputy Ambassador Germany, Regine Hess said, what she has come to understand about Nigerians is that an average Nigerian want to live in peace and go about their normal businesses.
“Women should actively go for elective positions and if you cannot go for elective position, go out and vote for those that are vying for one position or the other because your vote counts. Nigeria women have to get it right, not just for Nigeria but for the whole world.”
The Africa Union country coordinator, Dr Tunji Ashaolu said, women are not only at the centre of development but are central to the development of the continent.
“We recognise women as very special creator because the excess of development revolve around them but unfortunately, women have always been at the receiving end of our development because of our inability to recognise and constructively engage and utilize the enormous potential of women for development.”
He added that the good news is that the attention of the world has tilt towards the direction of women as they begin to avail themselves and take the centre stage in decision making in the world affairs, corporate and economy level as well as strategic political leadership levels.
“But comparatively, the number of women at the top is still not enough. We need to support and uplift more women to the top as a matter of facts; we must do more to empowerment them,” he said.
As the 2019 election is approaching, Dr Tunji called on the FG, INEC, and all relevant stakeholders to follow the lay down principle of the AU through its Africa charter on democracy and governance to ensure that elections are not only free and fair but to make sure no citizen’s life is put at jeopardy on account of the election especially with regards to the lives of women and youth.
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