In Nigeria, women who have little or no education, whose population far outweigh those that are fully educated, have little or no say in positions of authority after they have cast their precious votes.
As soon as the APC convention is concluded, we shall ask the new leaders what provision in terms of positions they have for this category of women who deserve to be treated equally and just.
Many of these uneducated women are domiciled in our rural areas, during elections, they troop out to vote for various persons who only abandon them when they get into positions of authority.
Nigerian politics is patriarchal in nature, with social and political decision-making roles heavily dominated by men. This relegates women to the household, with little or no access to formal governance structures. Instead, their lives are governed by traditional and religious processes that often discriminate against women and marginalise them.
While women in political parties and in civil society have made progress in advocating for quotas and gender equality commitments, they have been less successful in pushing for party support to address these structural inequities.
Happily today, women have gained awareness of their own potential power and are encouraged to aspire to formal decision-making roles in our society, in which they represent the majority.
At the recently held APC Women’s Conference, we gladly noted the valuable contributions of APC Caretaker Chairman, Gov. Mai Mala Buni, Minister for Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen and FCT Minister of State, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu.
Nigeria needs such women who see their numeric strength as an added advantage and such people could guarantee the nation’s growth and development.
We female leaders who have the networks, legitimacy and influence necessary to take on leadership roles and lobby male party leaders will surely fight on behalf of such women.
We have vowed to continue shaping women’s influence in parties and strengthen women’s autonomous mobilisation and further articulate their joint demands on the parties’ leadership prior to political transitions.
Amb. Fatima Muhammad Goni resides in Abuja
