The United Nations International Day of Democracy is celebrated on every September 15th, towards supporting government to strengthen and consolidate democracy. Democracy is about the power of the people – government of the people, by the people and for the people; “government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free election”[i]. The key focus of democracy is to promote human right as well as to ensure that both men and women are carried along and treated equally on the basis of their fundamental human rights, have equal access to opportunities and have the choice to participate in political and electoral process, be able to vote and be voted for. According to UNESCO[ii], democracy stands on the ability of people to freely make political choices to choose their leaders, government and policies.
Women are part of the people as described in the definition of Democracy; they make up about half of the world’s population. In recent times there has been an “increased focus by global policy makers and governments on the need for women’s participation in political processes and on their contributions to building stronger societies.”[iii] Leadership have gone passed men’s business alone to women’s business too. Women’s participation in leadership and governance is key to nation building because women are game changers and agents of change.
Men as well as women have equal rights to participate actively in politics. The law makes provision for women’s inclusion and participation in politics especially in a democratic setting. According to Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives”[iv]. In the same way, Article 2 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) warns against all forms of discrimination against women. In particular, Article 2 (d) warns people “To refrain from engaging in any act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation”[v]. Furthermore, Article 2 of the ‘Protocol To The African Charter On Human And Peoples’ Rights On The Rights Of Women In Africa’ still dwelt on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. Article 9 provides for “Right to Participation in the Political and Decision-Making Process”[vi].
Regardless of these laws and provisions, things are usually different against women both in implementation and practice. Nigeria is still struggling with issues of discrimination, marginalization, lack of trust in women despite practicing democracy for 24 years. Women are still discriminated against, intimidated and the political environment are made difficult for them to actively participate and make headways. The discriminations vary from lack of financial muscle like men as witnessed in the high cost of nomination forms by political parties. There is unhealthy political environment including electoral violence that affect women. In 2019 a woman leader with one of the frontline political parties; Mrs Salome Abuh, was a victim of electoral violence; she was burnt alive during the Kogi state gubernatorial election. Her only crime was to have been in active politics as a woman. The issue of indigenization of women political aspirants[vii] is still a constitutional issue; lack of trust and the wrong perception the society place on women in politics/leadership; unfriendly family psychology/mentality including patriarchy and cultural/religious practices; usually make women to step down for men as witnessed during political party primaries.
With less than six months to the 2023 general election, only a few women have made it passed the level of Aspirants to become Political Party Candidates ahead of the elections. According to a report by Leadership Newspaper[viii], there are only 10 female governorship candidates (with non from any of top-ranking political parties) and 24 running mates. This number is not commensurate to the contribution women make in Nigeria. it is too little in a country of 200 million men and women, with women as half of the population. Comparing with 2019, things have not changed from what happened in 2019 elections. According to a report by Centre for Democracy Development (CDD), “…female political representation in the 2019 elections was negligible relative to the approximately half of the population they constitute. 2,970 women were on the electoral ballot, representing only 11.36% of nominated candidates…”[ix]
To say that “An essential tenet of any democratic framework is the principle of human rights, which includes liberty of political alignments and exercise of the political rights of both men and women”[x], the questions to ask are, where lies the rights, where lies the preaching of inclusion, where lies the democracy?
Nigeria keeps forgetting that including “Women as leaders and decision-makers at all levels are critical to advancing gender justice and gender equality – and to furthering economic, social, and political progress for all, … when countries increase the number of women engaged at all levels of government, there is greater government attention to and funding of issues that affect the lives of ordinary citizens.”[xi] It is only when women are actively involved that some decisions can be inclusive enough to accommodate evenly spread development with diverse views towards programs and policies to achieve the dividends of democracy and good governance.
The campaign for 35% affirmative action for women will not go on for a very long time. It is time to consider the zipper system which advocates for 50/50%. “The zipper system is a principle of alternation, which entails that parties alternate between women and men on party lists to secure that women are half of the candidates as well as possibly also half of the elected”[xii]. Political parties in Nigeria should be ready to give women equal chance to come up to speed. This is achievable through Political Parties guidelines, manifestos and constitutions to reflect equal considerations for women. Zipper system should be promoted with policies and practices at national, state, Local Government and Ward levels.
Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and the media have a key role of continuous advocacy, lobbying, and conducting capacity building for Women. As the watchdog in the democratic process, CSO need to do more on their engagement with the government and the National Assembly through issue-based advocacy to improve women’s participation.
The media on the other hand must as a matter of expediency become deliberate in documenting and telling the success stories of women who have demonstrated competencies in various elective and appointive positions. This is necessary because, women are often excluded from political participation/decision making process on the flimsy excuse of competence and capacity. Documented evidence of these women will stir up interest in other women who have been clutched by patriarchy and generally set in motion a mind resetting both in the minds of women and men.
As submitted by Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe during the Human Rights Council 21st Session, Geneva, September 20, 2012, nations are more peaceful and prosperous when women are given adequate, as well as equal rights and opportunities as their male counterparts.[xiii] The clamor for increase in women participation in leadership position in Nigeria will continue to improve only with consistent efforts of different stakeholders including the Government, Civil Society Organizations, the Legislature, Political Parties and by women themselves, with the cooperation of the electorates. Political parties should review their manifestos, constitution and practices to accommodate more women in elective and appointive positions. Nigeria should continue to aspire on gender equality in accordance with human rights obligations as enshrined in different AU and UN instruments that they have ratified because women are part of the people in democratic system of government.
References
[i] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy
[ii] https://en.unesco.org/courier/novembre-1992/what-democracy
[iii] Statement of the Embassy of the United States of America on Representation of Women in Elected Office <https://lr.usembassy.gov/statement-of-the-embassy-of-the-united-states-of-america-on-representation-of-women-in-elected-office/
[iv] Universal Declaration of Human Rights < https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf
[v] Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/cedaw.aspx
[vi] Protocol To The African Charter On Human And Peoples’ Rights On The Rights Of Women In Africa https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/pdf/au/protocol_rights_women_africa_2003.pdf
[vii] Ugwuegede, P.N., (2014). Challenges to Women Active Participation in Politics in Nigeria
Sociology and Anthropology 2(7): 284-290, 2014 DOI: 10.13189/sa.2014.020704 (pages 286-288)
https://www.hrpub.org/download/20141001/SA4-19690095.pdf
[viii] https://leadership.ng/2023-10-female-governorship-candidates-24-running-mates-emerge/
[ix] CDD (2021). How Women Fared in the 2019 Elections (page 2) https://www.cddwestafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/How-Women-Fared-in-the-2019-Elections-CDD_2.pdf
[x] IDEA (2005). Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers, A Revised Edition. Trydells Tryckeri AB, Sweden. ISBN: 91-85391-19-0
[xi] Statement of the Embassy of the United States of America on Representation of Women in Elected Office <https://lr.usembassy.gov/statement-of-the-embassy-of-the-united-states-of-america-on-representation-of-women-in-elected-office/
[xii] European Parliament (2013). Directorate General For Internal Policies Policy Department C: Citizens’ Rights And Constitutional Affairs Gender Equality Electoral Gender Quota Systems and their Implementation in Europe (page 18) <https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/note/join/2013/493011/IPOL-FEMM_NT(2013)493011_EN.pdf#page=20&zoom=100,0,0
[xiii] According to a statement by the Delegation of the United States
Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe during the Human Rights Council 21st Session, Geneva, September 20, 2012, https://geneva.usmission.gov/2012/09/20/countries-are-more-peaceful-and-prosperous-when-women-are-accorded-equal-rights-and-opportunities/
Written by Ogechi Obialo-Isuma
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Officer- HipCity Innovation Centre
