Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has called on the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to be more resolute in their bid to strengthen women’s participation in politics, stressing the need to work against all forms of hindrances against women.
Tinubu made this call at the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) session during the closing ceremony of the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament held in Abuja on Monday. The former Nigerian lawmaker acknowledged the significant barriers women in the West African sub-region face in achieving gender parity.
She stated: “Today, we are reminded of the critical need to address and overcome the persistent gender disparities in our political systems.
“Despite the progress made, significant barriers still exist that inhibit the ability of African women to claim a larger stake in the political process. These barriers include deeply entrenched societal norms, systemic discriminatory practices, structural issues within our political systems, and financial incapability.
“Quotas have proven to be a powerful tool in enhancing women’s political participation. They ensure a minimum number of seats are allocated to women, thereby promoting gender balance. Countries like Sweden, Norway, and Spain have successfully used gender quotas to achieve significant representation of women in their parliaments, leading to more inclusive and representative governance.
“However, when we compare the data globally, we see that many countries have implemented quotas to improve women’s representation in governance. This stark difference underscores the urgency for strategic planning and implementation of effective measures to meet the ECOWAS statute requiring 30% women representation in parliament.
“To fully achieve this across the board, we must be seen to walk the talk. For instance, our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has taken significant steps to remove financial barriers by making nomination forms for elective positions free at the grassroots level, ensuring that capable and qualified women can participate in the political process without the burden of prohibitive costs”.
Senator Tinubu also called for improved access to education for girls and women and for them to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to participate in political processes.